imagination

Jenny is out of town for a couple of days. Usually she milks Fancy, our Jersey milk cow, and I milk the goats and do the other barn chores. Well, I guess Fancy didn’t like the feel of my hands, or my singing, or something. Either way it was clear she wasn’t happy about something. She kicked the snot out of me twice. Cows can pack a powerful wallop if they have a mind to. I kept at it though. It wouldn’t have paid to let her think that she could just kick her way out of being milked by me. I didn’t end up with much milk, but we got it done. I can’t wait for Jenny to get back.

We are living a life beyond our wildest imaginings. Actually, I used to dream about a life like this. Living on a farm, teaching part time and farming part time. Then I lost track of those dreams for about 20 years. In a haze of alcohol, false starts, and tangled dreams I struggled along until one day I woke up here. You can’t get here from where I was. In fact, you can’t even see here from where I was. But here I am. The only way I can make some sense of those years is to remember that everything that has happened up until now has led me to here. And for that I am grateful because here is a pretty wonderful place to be. I have been truly blessed.

Grace. Unmerited favor.

“We develop an imagination and with this imagination, we reach for God. We live out of the worldview that our imagination has created.” - Father Richard Fragomeni

Imagination is the soil in which my garden grows. The deep, rich humus that nurtures it. “Humus” is the root word from which the word “humility” is derived. Humility means, literally, “earthly”. To be humble is to be of this earth. And we are, indeed, of this earth. Connected. To each other, to God, to Christ, and to the earth that nourishes us. And this is what the Eucharist say to me. That when we come to the table with Christ, we are invited to embrace God. To embrace our connectedness to all with is earthly and all that is heavenly.

So here I am. Relaxing after my contest of wills with Fancy the milk cow. Nursing my wounds. Listening to Bob Dylan on the stereo and contemplating my relationship with God, and man, and this earth we live on. Feeling blessed and at peace. Even at peace with Fancy.

Raw Milk Dairy

Yes, I can say that in print in Idaho. We are a fully legal raw milk dairy in the state of Idaho. After a couple of weeks of self-doubt, during which we sold almost no milk, sales are really picking up. What a blessing. We are so very excited. We sold milk and two kinds of cheese today. The feta cheese is almost always of consistant high quality. The mozzerela is a little bit less consistant but always tastes fantastic. The milk is simply out of this world.

Due to some poor planning on our (my) part we may go through a dry spell with no goats or cows in milk in June and July. Fancy, our Jersey cow, will calve in July and we will again be swimming in milk. We have no idea when or if our goats will kid and will be without when Whisper dries up. We are trying to purchase a bred milk goat or two, but it seems unlikely at this point.

Our pure-bred Berkshire hogs are so delicious from last year that we are going to buy another two piglets this year from the same farm. We also have spoken for a beef calf. How exactly we are going to pay for all this is requiring something of a leap of faith. "Leap before you Look!"

Life is a really grand adventure. Farm, family, and friends take all of my time right now and I wouldn't have it any other way. We are indeed so very, very blessed.

More cow pictures

Here are some better pictures of Fancy our new Jersey milk cow. She is wonderful. We sold milk at the food co-op today. We are able to get a license in Idaho to sell "raw" milk. We are really excited and really, really busy. What a blessing this life is.

My Mornings

Just some funny pictures of Jenny and I milking the animals this morning. Blessings

frustrated

Well, it looks like I've mis-managed things a bit. I don't know if I'll be able to get my goats bred in time to have a consistant supply of milk this year. Goats generally only come into heat from September to December...sometimes a bit later if you're lucky. I picked up a small billy goat for free (pass the buck lol) though I'm afraid he may be too small to successfully breed Carissima. Basically, it's all a mess. So I'm rather frustrated. I hate making mistakes. I'd like to beleive that I can perfectly manage every micro-detail successfully. Rather arrogant I suppose.

So what's going right? Our friend, who is helping us locate a milk cow, has a lead on an older Jersey cow who's 6 months pregnant. That could be a huge break on the milk front. It would be nice to get a pregnant heifer, but a pregnant older cow might have the advantage of being more docile and used to being milked.

Who knows what the future may bring our way. It's all a grand adventure.

One of my meditation books suggested adding "my relationship with my God" as something to be grateful for. And I am grateful. It is wonderful to know that no matter what happens God is with us. We are truly cared for and carried whether times are easy or tough.

Having a cow...

We have been doing our homework and shopping for a Jersey dairy cow. We've got a heifer picked out and should be going through with the purchase soon. We are just waiting on some blood tests. Assuming they come out clean we will be picking up our girl in a couple of weeks.

We'll be having to re-arrange some areas of the barn and fix up some of the fence on the pasture. We'll be doing some major barn cleaning, some fencing, and some barn fixing. When spring eventually comes we will be pouring a concrete floor for a milking stall and running electricity and water out to the barn. I'm not much of an expert at major electrical and plumbing projects, but it sounds like this is something I can do if I just take my time and breathe deep.

We are in the process of applying for a license to sell raw milk from the farm. Both from the goats and eventually the Jersey. We would also be able to sell butter and cheese products as well.

It's all an amazing adventure. I have been feeling so truly blessed lately. Blessed to have the family that I have, all the friends that I am close with, and this wonderful farm to live and work on. It is truly through God's grace that I have been saved from the scrap heap to lead a life like this. My life is beyond my wildest dreams and expectations.