Saturday Farm Report

-whew- Not even 3pm, and it's been a day already!

It's time, first of all to announce that JR Cheeseburger has met his destiny. He left here on Tuesday. He will be back, but in little white packages. It was time. I'll let you know how he tas...I mean how it all turned out.

We also sent two goats to the butch...to the same place JR went. One of them was sold to an acquaintance, and the other is in our freezer now. Such is late fall on the farm.

We left home at 9:30 am; got home just a little bit ago, about 2. It was supposed to be a quick trip; up to get the goats, over to deliver the one, and back so John could get to work. Before we left, arrangements were made to stop and pick up some hay at a friend's. On the way, we passed WalMart, and remembered some things we needed. The feed store is close by, so why not detour and pick up some things that should run out on Christmas Eve (a decidedly inconvenient time?)

Well, Brenda at WalMart was feeling talkative. She was telling us how much she preferred living here to Colorado, from whence she moved just last winter. She got me thinking about Wyoming and we ended up talking for half an hour. The feed store meant another little chat, about chickens, raising them in the winter, and their dietary needs.

(Got a little compliment there. Bruce, who co-owns the feed store with his wife, Sue, said to John, "Your wife sure knows a lot about animals. Did she grow up on a farm?" "No," said John, "in Hoffman Estates." They both had a chuckle over that one. I guess because I feel like I don't know everything need to know about these critters, and I read about them obsessively, I've learned enough to fool a farm boy. Bruce grew up around here, and grows pork, poultry and sheep. A feather in my cap!)

Anywho...the goats were picked up, and the hay, and we set to unloading things. This year was a bad year for hay around here, and the stuff we picked up could almost be used for bedding. Bruce and Sue will be getting more business from me for horse feed, I'm guessing. We are checking out another angle; hope it works! They got another visit from us today, anyway; when they loaded the feed, he and John grabbed the wrong kind. I was chatting with Sue and didn't notice. We went back to make the exchange, returned the hay rack to our friend's farm, and then headed down to deliver the goat. Then we picked up some shavings for bedding and headed home.

Now I just have to make beef broth, which I hope to can tomorrow. I also need to do some baking for Christmas presents. Other things on my lists include checking the checkbook and cleaning for company tomorrow. Oh, and the Christmas tree might get up today.

Hope you have a good evening!