It has been a while. Winter arrived and a hush landed upon the farm. Gone were the kids that hopped, skipped, and jumped around the farm, as they also grew into the young does and bucklings we love. The lush green grass, now browned, and only minimally (this year) covered with snow, blanketed our farm in a hush. The animals were all brought down to the lower pastures to wait out the colder months. Our pace slowed down ever so slightly, as it tends to do over winter, but in other ways the pace picked up. The water hoses that delightfully (for us) carried fresh water out to the pastures, now were wrapped up for the winter. Out came the good old buckets and the lads' muscles, and carrying hot water out to the animals became their (not so) favorite pass time. We had several spells of absolutely freezing temperatures. Those days added a certain level of awareness; making sure each animal had enough deep bedding to stay warm, an increased amount of grain to help maintain their body heat. So, quiet........ I'm not so sure of the definition of that word here on our farm.
Meanwhile, I have been up to my elbows in soap! This winter has seen our soap inventory going fast, and in the quieter months on the farm side, we have been working diligently behind the scenes to keep up with you, our wonderful customers, our Farm On The Hill family. I must admit, that having grown up with eczema, there is another layer to what I do. I make goat milk soap and lotion, not just because I love to, but because I love what it has done for my skin, and in turn, I love to hear the stories of how it has helped others. That is why I do what I do. Our soap inventory is constantly moving, as quickly as I stock our curing shelves here at the farm, the already cured soaps are finding their way out to the retail stores that we are in, or they are winding their way out in the mail!
All too soon, farmers' market season will be here and the wonderful vendor events that we attend will be in full swing. All too soon, kidding season will begin again, and we will be reminded that all the months of slogging through the frigid temperatures to clean out enclosures and refill water buckets have all been worth it. The baby goats will arrive, and one glimpse of them standing for the first time, suckling from mum, and oh......... those ever so cute side jumps, and our hearts will once again melt.
It's not that winter is necessarily quieter; it just looks different. The calendar says spring has arrived here in Western New York, but like I warn my kids as winter draws to a close, our weather doesn't always follow the calendar. As my family overseas are enjoying snow drops and crocuses, we often find ourselves looking out on the white fields covered with snow! However, spring really is on its way, and so are the baby goats. Don't worry we won't forget to post photos and videos and keep you all up to date with goat antics as spring unfolds.
Thank you again, to you, our Farm On The Hill family, for supporting our family business. Keep an eye on our blog page as next week begins our month-long eager awaiting of goat kids! Stay warm!