We get off the farm so rarely together that I thought I'd share a few photos. When we spent the holidays in Florida with my sister and brother-in-law, we didn't do Disney World or Epcot or any man-made places. We pretty much stuck to nature, which I guess isn't surprising.
We went sailing one afternoon with Sandy and Rick. Here's the Head Farmer at the bow of the boat, watching to make sure we don't hit any crab pots.
Here's the Backup Farmer actually driving the boat (oops, I mean piloting!):
Here's my sister and her hubby:
Their neighborhood was all decorated for the holidays. The big thing in this area are inflatables---Santas, snowmen, nativity scenes, elves, etc. They are inflated on timers. During the day they're allowed to collapse. In the evening they all rise up like ghouls and take shape. Here's a deflated one. Cracked me up. During the day the whole neighborhood was littered with deflated beings:
The coolest part of our trip was visiting Blue Springs State Park, a manatee refuge. It's a 1/3-mile long spring-fed creek that feeds into the St. Johns River. Because the water is warm, the manatees come here to survive the winters (they can't take water much colder than 65 degrees or so.) They rest and warm up in the spring, but must venture out into the St. Johns every day to find food.
We saw turtles...
.
Alligators...
And of course, manatees. Here's one coming up for air:
It was such a lovely place. Those gray shapes are manatees hanging around the bank of the creek.
The heated water is incredibly clear, since it's coming from a gash in the earth. The gash itself is only about thirty feet by ten feet.
But get this. The crack descends130 ft into the earth, and is riddled with caves.
Apparently people actually strap on tanks and descend into this gash in the earth.
Suddenly farming doesn't sound so crazy.
Yesterday one of "my" librarians asked my how my year was going.
I said "It's been free of stress and chaos."
"Are you writing?"
I laughed. "Yeah, actually, that's why it's free of stress and chaos."
Made me think about how we get ourselves into, and through, a bad year.
2011 was one of those years. I had two books come out, so in many respects it was a good year. But it was also a year filled with unexpected frustrations.
We've been self-employed for years, which means we pay for our own health insurance. Since MN doesn't recognize our legal marriage, we're stuck having separate policies. My premiums have been fairly steady, but Melissa's premiums recently shot through the roof, nearly doubling in 4 years. Not to get into it too deeply here, but Melissa was afraid to change policies because an insurer could exempt every sort of coverage she needed.
This was why she had to get an off-farm job. The farm just couldn't support itself and our insurance bills. She found the perfect job for her---locating underground utility lines. She was outside all day, walking around people's yards, neighborhoods, and out in the country. She had her own little truck and laptop. It was mentally and physically challenging.
It also required massive amounts of overtime. She worked from 7 am often until 7-8 pm. Not surprisingly, there wasn't much left for anything, or anyone, at the end of the day. She was so tired on weekends that I asked her not to run any power tools or equipment on Saturday because she often hurt herself or broke something. Sunday was her only day to work on the farm.
The bulk of the farming obviously fell to me. I have broad shoulders, and managed to keep everything alive and healthy, but weeds overtook and drained the electric fencing. The animals stayed put only because they were polite. :-) I fed 3 baby calves 3 times/day for 3 months. I fed two bottle lambs for nearly as long.
By fall, the weight got heavier and heavier. I'd basically spent more time alone than I had for years. I'd also done a great deal of traveling to promote my books. All the household chores fell to me. We had two elderly dogs that required a complicated array of pills, and cleaning up of accidents. How the heck do couples with two fulltime jobs and kids DO this?
By fall, everything started slowing me down. I stopped writing and sank into a major funk. Usually when I get depressed, I get bored and snap out of it in 1-2 weeks. But this lingered and lingered. I spent the fall not only struggling to keep farm and home together, but also sitting on our front deck holding our kitten Emmett, watching Netflix (all 11 seasons of Frasier! All 5 seasons of Friday Night Lights! All seasons of Parks and Recreation!) and drinking wine. Pathetic.
I tried antidepressants (screwed up my ability to daydream, and thus write) and therapy. (When I told the therapist I thought I was a lazy person, she nearly grabbed her copy of Hit by a Farm and smacked me in the head with it. Interesting therapy technique, but I got the point. Maybe not so lazy after all.)
This is why, when the end of 2011 arrived, I said, "Good riddance," (My actual words were a bit earthier than that) and started a fresh year.
I've written nearly every day in 2012. The depression seems to have lifted (although it sneaks back every now and then to slap me around), and I'm excited about the new year. I know that Melissa will be gone a lot, so I'll do a better job of reaching out to friends and family. I know all the farm chores will be my responsibility, so we're freezing the size of the farm---no new animals for awhile. I'm going to line up help to do chores when I'm out of town, and someone to help me keep the weeds off the fences. Our beloved elderly dogs have died, leaving huge holes in our hearts, but less daily chaos. This next year it'll just be Molly and me going on lots of walks.
I've learned my lesson. Stopping what you love to do isn't a way to feel better---it's a way to feel worse. I'm not going to go more than two days in a row without writing. No more Netflix, considerably less wine, and having Melissa home for the winter has been great. We're both resting and recovering, building up the strength we'll need to get us through another season.
Now matter how your 2011 went, I'm hoping your 2012 goes better!
It's been a month since I've posted. But I'm back. 2012 is a new year, and I'm thrilled to see the backside of 2011. (Long story....next post)
I wanted to update the rescued sheep and llama story (animals abandoned on nearby farm a month ago---we found homes for them.) Our friend Drew and his family took the sheep. When he got them home he sheared them. A fleece usually weighs 7-8 pounds. These fleeces weighed 30-40 pounds. That's how long it had been since the animals had been sheared.
Animals feel better when they get that matted stuff off. But one ram found it especially alarming. After Drew finished shearing him, the ram lay there for a minute. But then his tail twitched. The ram shot up and began leaping around the pen, freaked out at something. (Leaping around isn't really normal ram behavior.)
Drew finally figured out that the ram had so much wool on his body that he'd stopped feeling his tail long ago. He'd forgotten he had one. But now, with all that fleece gone, he could feel his tail. It gave the ram a bit of a shock to discover there was something moving on his backside . He's recovered, of course, and wags now without fear.
In this rescued flock, there were both males and females. But no one expected any hanky-panky, since, quite frankly, we didn't think a ram could reach his target through all that wool.
Turns out we were wrong. A week ago Drew's daughter found two lambs in the barn, one all white, one nearly all black. And they think another of the females is also 'in the family way.'
So five months ago, a determined ram succeeded. We're thrilled the lambs have been born on an established sheep farm that understands the animals.
And here's an update from Carrie. (Her llama rescue operation drove 7 hours to pick up the llamas)---
"A bit of an update- the llamas are really doing well. The big herd is settled in. One girl was concerning us for a bit, but she's starting to pick up weight nicely now. The three boys are now OUTDOORS and are no longer afraid of sunlight. They are all 3 together and are good friends. The matted boy is so friendly. He has nerve damage to his face and it makes his lip droop. The big white stallion is still not "friendly" but he is FAR from aggressive, he is afraid but coming around. The 5 boys will be gelded this spring once they are at a healthier weight. We want to thank everyone for the support! It costs us about 400.00 a month in hay, and roughly a hundred in grain and mineral to keep everyone in chow. We appreciate all the help! We can't wait for April when we can start shearing and getting the disgusting fleeces and cockleburrs off!!"
(The llamas were so underweight that the vet can't sedate them until they gain 100 pounds each.)
Just a reminder. If you want to help support these llamas' upkeep and vet care, you can give directly at http://whipstaff.chipin.com/saving-12-llamas. This is a legitimate organization, so your money will be spent wisely. (Unlike your donations to the Humane Society of the United States... also a topic for another post!)
Welcome to 2012! It's going great so far....
Monday morning I found an email in my inbox from a woman in northern Minnesota. She'd found us through the internet. Her brother had been arrested and was expected to spend time in prison. She'd just learned that no one was taking care of the 12 llamas and 14 sheep he left behind.
And now that we knew about it, it became our problem too. The sister needed help finding homes for the animals. Melissa made a dozen phone calls on Monday, and found someone willing to take the sheep. Tuesday I posted the situation on my facebook page, and found a llama rescue operation willing to take them.
The sheep and llamas that had the run of the place could eat snow, but the three stud muffins locked in the barn had nothing. (I learned today that llama stud muffins are called stallions.) We could find no source of water.
It's been a stressful week. Melissa brought the inside llamas snow. Twice she brought a few buckets of water from home, but of course the water freezes before the animals drink it all. We don't have portable hay bales (ours weigh 900 pounds) so Melissa flaked off some of the hay and drove it to the abandoned animals.
The sister gave us permission to disburse the animals, but we also got written permission from a friend of the landowner, the one who'd owned the animals initially. (Anyone confused yet? We were!)
We lost sleep as we worried about the animals. Their coats were incredibly matted. The sheep hadn't been shorn in a LONG time. Would the rescues actually happen? How would we get the animals out of the barn?
Through ChipIn donations, the non-profit llama rescue operation, located 7 hours away, raised enough money to pay for gas, motel, and some of the other expenses associated with a rescue operation (vet care, gelding the 3 stallions, etc.)
So what follows are the two rescues themselves. Not to give the ending away....but everything worked!
Drew backed his goose-necked trailer down the hill and around the hairpin turn.
They drove all the animals into the barn, then separated the sheep from the llamas (except one. The owner requested that a certain sheep stay with its llama buddy.) Here are Drew and Bunnie setting up panels from the barn to the back of the trailer.
Then with lots of whooping, they drove the sheep straight out the barn and into the trailer.
So far so good. But getting up the hill proved a challenge, even with 4-wheel drive and Drew at the wheel.
Enter Melissa's tractor. We drove home, fired it up, then I followed her in the pickup, emergency flashers on, as we drove 1/2 mile on the shoulder of the highway.
Melissa and her tractor pulled the truck and trailer up the hill.
Sheep leaving for their new home:
Meanwhile, the WhipStaff Ranch and Rescue people drove 7 hours, reaching Zumbrota well after dark.
Sunday morning we drove to the motel, and led them to the llamas. Jeremy's trailer and truck weren't going to make that hill, so he backed it to the edge of the hill. We set up panels running from the barn, creating a walk-way for the llamas.
First step was bringing the stallions out. These guys hadn't been handled. In fact, it'd been so long since they'd been outside that it was very scary for them even to step across the barn threshhold.
By pressing the first stallion up against the wall with a panel, Carrie was able to put a halter and rope on him. Then they waited awhile to let the llama relax a bit and realize he wasn't going to be hurt. We're so relieved Carrie and Jeremy know llamas so well. They're llama whisperers!
Then Jeremy and Carrie "led" the llama out, pulling pulling pulling him up the hill. Melissa brought up the rear...literally.
She took her 'rear end' job very seriously, not stopping until the llama was all the way into the trailer! That's my girl---she commits 110%, no matter what she does.
They did this with the two other stallions as well. The three stallions were tied inside the trailer, otherwise they might slash and bite the other llamas.
Then they herded the rest of the llamas up the hill in two batches. All went well with the first batch. They used a panel to herd the llamas into the trailer.
The second batch was less cooperative, and stood with their butts to the trailer. We were all there pushing, and suddenly one llama went skyward. Hey! Where'd this giraffe come from? How'd he get so tall? Quick-thinking Jeremy held firm with the panel, even though llama hooves whistled past his head. Finally, all were inside.
Here's the happy llama crew: Jeremy, Melissa, Carrie, and young friend.
Here's Melissa saying adios to the llamas.
Jeremy's truck had trouble pulling the trailer up the hill, so I backed up our truck, and Melissa pulled him forward.
And off the llamas go.
We feel really good about helping, but we are so relieved it's over. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the llama rescue through ChipIn. The WhipStaff people will make sure the animals are healthy, then place them in new homes (at least 8 have been spoken for.) Drew will shear the sheep to see what's going on---are they skinny and need extra food? Are they pregnant and about to give birth? The fun never ends...
Once it was all over, Melissa relaxed by going outside and cleaning her shed---a favorite activity. I poured myself a gallon (I mean, glass) of wine, and started knitting a new sock.
And our lives will be quiet, until the next crisis.
Thanks everyone for loving our yarn, and buying it! We've shipped out about 1/3 of it, but the rest is languishing on our dining room table, waiting for ransom checks to set it free. :-)
So if you attached your name to a skein or two, here's what you owe. Please please please send us a check by Dec. 10. If there are extenuating circumstances (having surgery, kidnapped by aliens, etc), let us know. Otherwise we'll make the skeins available again. (I don't have the energy to bug people for money. Yuck. Hate it.)
If I've totally mucked your order up, please email me directly at info@risingmoonfarm.com.
Please send ransom check to Rising Moon Farm, Box 21, Zumbrota, MN 55992.
Amber $22 (Pink moon) $22 (tangled blue) $6 ship = $50
Amanda $22 (seaglass) $22 (s. sherbert) $6 ship = $50
Beth G $20 (woodland rose), $44 (Gonew/Wind) = $64 plus $7 = $71
Colleen $44 (2 Indian Summer) $44 (2 summer sherbert) $8 shipping = $96
CosmoDK $20 (s. sherbert) $6 ship = $26
goodbobo (sue) $40 (2 tie dye) $6 ship = $46
Gracey is Not My Name $22 (MN leopard) $6 ship = $28
Jamie $20 (napping) $6 = $26
Janet $22 (seaglass) $6 ship = $28
Jilly47 $44 (2 northern lights) $6 ship = $50
Karol S. $44 (2 gone w/wind) $6 shipping = $50
KNITMA $22 (napping) $24 (northern lights) $6 ship = $52
Marian T. Librarian $22 (Forest floor) $6 ship = $28
Robyn $44 (2 winter skyline) $6 ship = $50
Ruthie J $24 (Great balls of fire) $6 ship = $30
Sara $22 (Driftwood) plus $6 shipping = $28
twinsetjan $46 (2 endless sea) $6 ship = $52
Beef customers (pay when pick up beef):
Peggy $44
Sarah M $22
Joanne S. $46
Sherry A $22
Maggie M $42
Jan G. $42
THANKS, EVERYONE. Happy knitting or crocheting....
Catherine and Melissa
