Friday, October 11, 2013

Time Off the Farm?



Many of you heard me say last week that I was meeting Billy in Oklahoma after market. We hadn't seen each other in 3 weeks and while a 20 hour visit is not much, it's better than nothing. However, this is what happens when I try and leave the farm.
First, it is an immense issue to make sure that the animals have enough food and water while I am gone. Market had to be gotten thru, pack the vehicle up, race an hour back home and unload the vehicle, put the perishables away and check everybody again and jump back on the highway for a 5 hour drive.
About 28 miles out of Springfield, the phone starts ringing. Its a neighbor behind us. The sheep are out. Not only are they out but they are about 2 miles away. I call the local market where another neighbor works to see if she can do anything. "Jessie, my sheep are out". "I know" she says, "The whole town knows". I said" I'm headed to Oklahoma to meet Billy and he is already there". So she says, " I'll see what I can do". So I call Bill and he says " You better turn around- I'd rather sleep at our house tonight anyway". So I turn around and head home. Billy, 3 hours behind me.
About 5 minutes later my phone rings- "this is Deputy D--- from the Franklin County Sheriff's Dept. I have your sheep, I ran them up 185 and down your drive, What would you like me to do with them?"
Luckily for us, the sheep were NOT arrested and Billy came home and slept in his own bed. The next day we got up and fixed fences. He made the 10 hour trip back to Texas later that afternoon.

This past week was our 20th Anniversary. Billy is home for vacation. We had big plans to go to an auction in Gerald just a few miles away from our house. On the auction bill was
a freezer, a fridge, canning jars and fence posts. The freezer we need for lamb. Ours is already full of peaches, plums, tomatillos and melon rinds for this winter's bounty of Smoked Salsa, Peach Melon Marmalade and other goodies -when I have more time to cook AND we are not done harvesting yet.
I really wanted to take this time to do something fun yet necessary with my husband but we still needed to go to market. Here is what had to take place in order for me to get the afternoon off;

Convincing my amazing Saturday help Becca that she could run the stand and drive the van home afterwards.
Finding someone to help her. We did thanks to Vicki at Flower Hill Farm.
Checking the weather 700 times because it kept changing to decide whether it was worth all of this to employ 2 girls when it was supposed to storm all morning.
Contacting, discussing and bargaining with new said help whom I had not met.
Driving to Tower Grove Farmers market which is 65 miles away with Billy following in another vehicle.
Briefing both girls and setting up and then driving 75 miles back past where we came from to attend the auction.

Here's how it worked out;

Saaba the help was courteous, attractive and punctual. Very social which as everyone knows is a "have to" at our stand. You're welcome back anytime Saaba.
Becca remembered almost everything she was supposed to do and the van is okay.
We did not get rained out.
Made it to the auction by 10:35
We made enough to pay for the freezer we acquired that was 3 times the size of the one that we have.
I have been gloating all week over the huge amount of jars that we brought home for a decent price.
We had fun.

I will see you tomorrow at Tower Grove Farmers Market where things will be back to normal.

God's Blessings on you and yours

TTFN

Sam and Bill(home but doing farm stuff)

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