It's my favorite time of year! The weather is cooler, the humidity is lower, and the air is clearer. And we are super busy, just the way I like it! My birthday this month adds to the fun too!
I love the colors of fall. The leaves, and the flowers in my garden have these amazing hues that just sparkle in the early morning or late afternoon sunlight. The sky gets this amazing color of blue and even at night the stars seem brighter against the crisp darkness.
Our 4-H club gets started up again, after a summer break. We had our introductory meeting the other night and had 10 new kids come and check us out! The group had some great ideas for events, activities, and community service projects. I am so excited to get started with this great group of kids and adults!
The Big E is happening! We bring some of our dairy goats (and some friends' dairy goats, this year) up to the Big E. The goats get petted and pampered for a few weeks while they are used daily to demonstrate milking a goat to the public.
The last weekend of the Big E is the 4-H goat, sheep and dog shows. Sam is once again a chaperon and gets to sleep and eat in the dorms with the boys, while I hang out in the barn and camper. Samantha is the only one from our club to be officially eligible to participate, but next year we have about seven kids who will be able to attend!
Every weekend from now to the middle of October, we will be bringing the animals (chickens, goats, and calf) to the local garden center (Burnett's Country Gardens) for the public to experience and learn about small farm living. I'll also be setting up a booth with my dresses and skirts for sale (Etsy Shop). Abby and Hannah will be doing a face painting booth to raise some money for their college expenses.
Farm life doesn't slow down much this time of year. It's breeding season so we'll be watching for heat cycles and getting our does bred for February and March kiddings. Since we also offer our buck for stud services, we'll be busy arranging boarding and breeding for others. The calf will head to the slaughterhouse in mid-October, and apple, squash, and pumpkin picking will mean lots of canning and freezing. The girls and I are helping Sam to get enough firewood split and stacked for the wood stove in the house, and the evaporator in the sugar shack. Sam is also researching a way to store extra water for the animals, should winter storms knock our power out.
Hannah has a new job that requires some driving, and so she'll be getting her license in the next few months! Abby is moving forward with her wedding plans. Nathalie is back at Bob Jones University to complete her associate's degree in Culinary Arts. Rachel is helping with sewing projects and has taken on a sewing student, while Samantha has more responsibilities in the barn with the goats. My sewing business is taking off and keeps me busy in the sewing room at least two days per week.
Soon enough the snow will start to fall and we will be hunkered in for the winter months. But no worries, the planning of the Christmas Eve Brunch will occupy our time!
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