Print Friendly| Christmas Eve is always filled with anticipation. That is true whether you are from the farm or the city. People everywhere anticipate things like presents, good food, fun with family and friends, maybe a day off from work. We’re no different. NP and I look forward to exchanging gifts after chores on Christmas morning , maybe sharing a yummy homemade breakfast and then heading out to spend the rest of the day in town with family. BUT, to be able to do all of that we usually have to work extra hard on Christmas Eve so we have less to do on Christmas Day. |  It's snowing! |
This year, we started out the day thinking it was going to be a rather brown Christmas. But, much to our surprise, as we walked out of the barn after morning chores, it was snowing! Now, I’ll be honest, I’m NOT a fan of winter. Or snow. However, the normal freezing temperatures of winter are important for breaking disease cycles, scarifying seeds of native species that will grow next year, and keeping our fruit trees dormant so that they don’t try to bud out in the middle of winter! Also, the mud has been horrendous. So, this Christmas Eve I was pretty happy to see the snow falling!
The snow also meant that I got to spend some extra time with NP. He had been planning on splitting firewood all day but instead we spent some time catching up on reading. However, once the snow stopped in the afternoon it was time to double down and make up for the lazy morning! NP headed out and fired up Ollie to move snow and I got busy making salads and pies to share with family on Christmas Day! We are so thankful to have Ollie this winter. NP tells me the ‘ol tractor makes moving snow a breeze as compared to his 4 wheeler and snow shovel days! In fact, he even had time to move the last newly insulated stock tank down to the barn and switch it out. Here’s to hoping the heifers can’t destroy this one as easily as they did last year’s!!
We knew we had extra work to do in the barn that night so we decided to have supper early. We made broccoli cheese soup and it was so nice to be able to pull homegrown broccoli out of the freezer to make it with. Just a little taste of summer!
Chore time! The reason we had extra work to do was that pens needed cleaned out and fresh bedding put in! With all of the rain and the mud we haven’t been able to access the compost pile so we haven’t been able to clean out the barn regularly like we usually do. That meant we had far too much manure piled up in the barn and we needed to get rid of it. The colder weather meant that the ground, while still not frozen, was at least solid enough to get to the manure pile. So it was time to CLEAN!
We knew we had extra work to do in the barn that night so we decided to have supper early. We made broccoli cheese soup and it was so nice to be able to pull homegrown broccoli out of the freezer to make it with. Just a little taste of summer!
Chore time! The reason we had extra work to do was that pens needed cleaned out and fresh bedding put in! With all of the rain and the mud we haven’t been able to access the compost pile so we haven’t been able to clean out the barn regularly like we usually do. That meant we had far too much manure piled up in the barn and we needed to get rid of it. The colder weather meant that the ground, while still not frozen, was at least solid enough to get to the manure pile. So it was time to CLEAN!
NP assures me that he was much happier than he appears in this photo. He just wasn't ready for the camera ;) The cows were so pleased to have a clean pen and fresh bedding that they wasted no time making a nest and bedding down! I wish I had a picture of 54 all nestled in but by that time of night my phone had died.
Once chores were done it was time to stoke the fire and head to bed! It had been a long evening but it was nice to know that the critters were happy and that tomorrow would be a little easier day!
And with that, Merry Christmas from NP and I and all the critters at Brun Ko Farm!
Once chores were done it was time to stoke the fire and head to bed! It had been a long evening but it was nice to know that the critters were happy and that tomorrow would be a little easier day!
And with that, Merry Christmas from NP and I and all the critters at Brun Ko Farm!
And with that, Merry Christmas from NP and I and all the critters at Brun Ko Farm!
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