So what happens around Sand Holler on a typical day? First, that depends on the season. But even then, each day is different from the next, except for the routine daily chores (mainly taking care of the animals). This weekend I spent a little time recording what everyone was up to so I could give an example of daily life at Sand Holler Farm.
7:00 AM - Rise and Shine! Mom and I are up to take care of the animals. The goats are let out of the barn and feed. The donkey and the boys (male goats) get their hay and water checked. We mix "mash" for the chickens - extra milk stirred into their laying rations - and dump any kitchen scraps in the run. The sheep get the goat "leftovers" (I have no idea where the stereotype of goats eating anything - even tin cans - comes from. They are the pickiest eaters! They nose through the alfalfa hay and take the choicest bits and then complain that they have nothing to eat until we put more out! Fortunately, the sheep are not so discerning.) Then it's back inside until things warm up a little!
These days we typically make a hearty breakfast. When Mom is on the farm, it usually starts off with a fruit smoothie as soon as we come in from the animal chores. Then it can be anything, but favorites are buttermilk pancakes and breakfast tacos.
We stick around inside, mainly working on the business side of things until it thaws out a bit outside. A fire is usually going in the farm house and sometimes we just laze around preparing for a hard day of work ahead.
50F - Garden Work. Yup, there usually isn't a time for me to get started in the garden - I like to wait until it's either 50F or sunny and a bit cooler. Some days that just doesn't happen, but usually it does warm up. In the garden, I spend time weeding, planting and harvesting vegetables. Right now, we are picking broccoli, turnips, greens and lettuce. The carrots are looking might tasty but still a bit small. Hopefully soon!
Mom and Pops have been working diligently on the caretaker's cabin. It's ALMOST done! I'll post pictures of the progress when all is said and done. They are painting, trimming out doors, laying the floor and all the other final jobs to get it ready for moving in soon.
1:00 - around this time we all take a break for lunch. We've been eating a lot of soups lately - turnip soup or winter squash soup being frequent rations - and homemade bread. We allow ourselves just a little relaxing before getting back to work!
Other chores for the remainder of the day include mucking barns, chipping dead fall, rotating sheep pastures, trimming animal hooves or more work in the garden. There's an endless list to be tackled!
Just before dark, we start the evening animal chores. The sheep are given grain and some additional hay to keep them happy through the night. The chickens are tucked soundly in their coop. The goats are all feed individually so we can check on them and make sure their pregnancies are progressing properly!
At night, we sit by the fire and try to keep our eyes open long enough to finish any business chores or an the rare occasion when we have enough time to watch a movie we settle in for that. By 9, everyone is dragging and by 10 there's usually not a soul awake!
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