Spring is in full swing and some days it feels like summer. As a business owner, as a parent and as the only full time worker on the farm, some days it feels like I’m always behind. In the early days of the farm we often had multiple summer interns that would help out. I have a passion for teaching and this was a great way for me to share what I had learned and what I was learning on a daily basis. As we started a family and tried to create some separation between my work life and my home life I whittled the business down to a few part time helpers with just me working full time on the farm. This has helped me clarify my vision, my purpose and my systems, but it is lonely at times. I hope to soon be at the point where we have grown enough to support hiring help that we can pay a living wage. But this week I had some extra help from my parents!
You might say to yourself, “that doesn’t sound like vacation: go visit your son’s farm and he puts you right to work!” but I assure you we took plenty of breaks, went out to dinner, went for a few hikes and played with the grandkids. (Racey and I even got to go out to dinner by ourselves at Salt of the Earth Bistro in Lake Placid.) Having a few extra sets of willing hands was amazing! We tackled cleaning out one of the brooders that got too wet during a water malfunction. We cleared away some remaining construction debris around our house and they even did a little lawn mowing.
Another huge help was working with me do some brush clearing in the field where the chickens are moving every day. One of the significant additional benefits of pasture raised chickens is that all of their manure lands right on our pastures, which the cattle love to eat. Consequently chickens make a perfect rehabilitation team. We can run them over some pasture that needs a little pick-me-up and the next time the grazing animals come around the pasture has had a boost of nutrients. I’ve even seen the grazing animals line up along the path eating exclusively the dark green grass that regrows after the chickens. However, the chickens (or their coops) don’t deal very well with large brush. So Mom, Dad and I went out, armed with chain saws and brush cutters and we cleared a path for the coops.
Look at that pile!
That had been a project that I couldn’t find time for, but was fast approaching as the coops neared the brushy section of the field. We bought me at least a week before I have to clear again! I felt so relieved to have that done so quickly and with such great help:)
Before Mom and Dad left, Dad helped me finish a set of pallet racking shelves that I modified to be our syrup inventory. One thing I’ve realized is that keeping track of inventory is IMPORTANT! And having an organized location where you can easily access, store and count inventory is very helpful. So now we have plenty of space for that heavy syrup and I think the shelves will be plenty strong.
Thanks Mom and Dad for your continued support, help and motivation. You inspire me every day.
Reber Rock Farm Blog 