Aug
25
Written by:
Judy Schad
8/25/2011 3:18 PM
The Morning Round-Up
As we move on the farm into fall and the end of spring lactations, I'm especially aware of how dependant we are on all of nature's cycles and the rhythms of our animals. This past spring we sold most of our doe kids and many of our less productive milkers, sensing that the herd was growing too large to fit our 80 acres and our ability to manage well. In the midst of the summer bounty, our sales have increased (and so have feed prices!) leaving us wondering if this coming season won't find us short on milk and struggling to meet costs. Wouldn't it be easier--certainly cheaper--to just buy the milk we need? The animals are definitely another piece requiring another hat, a different focus.
I think about these things when I'm away from the barn too long, only to be called back when I must spend more time with those beautiful, hardworking girls, and then I know--not while I'm still the cheese! The goats bring me home to all the reasons we began in the first place. In spite of the constant work that needs done to keep them comfortable and healthy, choose their love partners for the fall breedings, and the multi-tasking required to balance them with cheesemaking and farming, I always discover again why we are, who we are. There's peace in this chaos, and it comes from this slowly changing time of year reflected in the herd.