We moved to our farm two years ago. We were wanting to be more connected to where our food came from. We moved to our farm with some gardening experience and a dream of living sustainably. I’m sitting in our pole barn writing this reflecting on how we’ve experienced the full circle of life several times. Each loss breaks my heart, each addition of new life brings hope. Life on a farm is hard, full of lessons but at the end of the day very worth the effort.
This spring we welcomed the first lambs born on our property. The delivery of the lambs went slow. The first arrived, Grey accepted it and all was calm. Too calm we later realized. As we were getting ready to clean up the area I noticed a tiny hoof showing. The second lamb was pulled out, lifeless. There was a third lamb pulled, this one alive.
Grey inspecting Thing 2
The two males were accepted by mom. But she was weak, very weak. A friend milked out an ounce of colostrum which I mixed with goat milk and gave to each lamb. The next morning I was thrilled to walk into the pole barn and hear the lambs bleating and Grey responding.
Grey with her lambs, Thing 1 & Thing 2
She was still “down”, but could be encouraged to stand with assistance and she’d let the lambs nurse. The following day I couldn’t get her up at all, our veterinarian came that afternoon. She advised several homeopathic remedies, and each seemed to help. She suggested green smoothies, right up my alley as a health coach!
I made them in my high speed blender, but with grass, dandelions, plantains, clover and alfalfa. They smelled like freshly cut grass. I had to squirt, 2oz at a time, down her throat as well as hand feed her whatever greens and hay I could stuff in her mouth. The target was a quart of smoothie and as much hay & greens as I could get her to eat.
Greens stuffed into the blender
Yum! Fresh batch of green smoothie for Grey
I spent the next several days feeding Grey smoothie and mouthfuls of hay and grasses. Some days she was more receptive than others. She’d drink fresh water willingly one day, not the next. As I was collecting greens for the next smoothie the Lord brought to mind John 21:15-17.
When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.”
“Feed My lambs,” He told him.
A second time He asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.”
“Shepherd My sheep,” He told him.
He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”
Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, “Do you love Me?” He said, “Lord, You know everything! You know that I love You.”
“Feed My sheep,” Jesus said.
I had been thinking how much effort it takes to feed this one ewe. Sheep are stupid, rejecting what is good for them. They are picky, not accepting what was ok just the day before. They are not appreciative of the effort put forth to feed them. How often have I been picky, ignoring what God was offering that was in my best interest, not appreciating the blessings I have? Hmm. Food for thought.
By the seventh day I was discouraged. She still wasn’t getting up and was now fighting each morsel I attempted to give her.
Grey with Thing 1 & Thing 2
The lambs were still snuggling with her, but getting all their nourishment from a borrowed goat (I had sent out a “I need goat milk” message to friends. They responded by offering Peanut, a goat that had lost her kid recently but they were milking.) Peanut allowed them to nurse when she was on the milk stand. I was also milking Daisy (our newest goat mama) each morning to fill bottles while Peanut’s supply increases. After Grey died I released the lambs into the goat yard. Much to my relief and delight Peanut allowed them to nurse freely in the yard.
Peanut and her lambs.
My goals in moving to a farm were to learn to live connected to the land, to raise as much of our food as possible and to deepen my relationship with the Lord. There are many lessons to learn living on a farm and I’m grateful for this opportunity. In our pasture you’ll find goats and sheep grazing peacefully together. If you look close you’ll see Peanut with her two lambs nearby, she has adopted them and cares for them. Life is not easy here, but it is simple and peaceful. If you live in the area please stop by to enjoy the simple pleasure of new life.