Being in the barn...

It's really just four old plywood walls, and a dirt floor. In our dreams we had envisioned a majestic old bank barn - but our reality is a pole barn in various stages of disrepair.  Still, I often find myself hanging out within it's four walls.

Take tonight for instance. The sheep were fed, and their heads were happily in the grain toughs scarfing down every last morsel. The donkeys had their heads stuffed into the hay racks, trying to mine for the alfalfa hidden in the hay, and the ram was pacing his pen - itching to get out and join the girls.

I stood in the sheep enclosure, with Smokey the barn cat doing figure eights around my ankles. I still had water troughs to fill, but for a moment I was content to stand amongst them, listening to the happy sounds of eating.  It was warmer than usual in the barn, surprising as it was such a bitterly cold autumn night.

The barn lights are not that bright, and seem to always cast a yellowish glow no matter how many bulbs manage to remain on. It makes for a cozy place to stand and observe.

A small head butted my thigh, and I looked down to see one of the ewe lambs seeking attention.  I softly scratched her head, and continued surveying the barn.

We still had work to do, floors to level and water systems to install - but the addition of the sheep pen had definitely made this old pole barn feel like more of a true barn. The sweet smell of hay, and the musty smell of wet wool gave it a distinct smell, one that I seem to find comforting these days.

Filling water troughs could wait, for a moment I was enjoying simply being in the barn.

So where is the Romance?

Recently, a seasoned farmer asked "is farming as you originally pictured it? I always find people have this romantic ideal of farm life."

It was a great question.  Here we are, just over a year after this great adventure has begun and I can't say I have one moment of regret.

I am also not sure if I came into this adventure with a romantic ideal of farm life. I knew it would be hard work, a lot of hard work.  I was prepared for the hours of labour involved.  I think summers working at garlic farms and in strawberry fields prepared me for that type of need.  What did surprise me is how easy it has been to learn so much in such a short period of time.

We were so apprehensive in the beginning, afraid to try anything that hadn't been field tested by hundreds of farmers before us.  Google searching every question we had, and comparing answers before we made any type of decision.

Now we simply fly by the seat of our pants, and try things to see if they work. It has been this cavalier approach to farming that has allowed us to invent new systems, create processes that streamline work, and find ways in which to cut overhead costs.

The best lessons that anyone can learn are from costly mistakes.

We have also found that we quite enjoy the work, and get a great feeling of accomplishment when we are able cross things off our white board.  We would have made great pioneers.

Having said all of that, I do still find that farming has romantic moments. Why just today I stood with my better half enjoying the most gorgeous sunset, as we stood amongst the sheep tired and weary from spending hours in the barn. Terribly romantic.