It’s been a hectic month — the kind where small events pile up until they feel like a whirlwind. Spring has arrived in full force in our valley, and with it a rush of activity that has kept us on our toes.
It all started with the lambs — adorable little escape artists.
Those Darling Little Lambs
We added two spring lambs to our small menagerie with the plan to raise them naturally on grass and keep costs down. The intention was they would fatten on pasture and provide meat by fall.
To keep them on fresh grass I moved their pen every 3–4 days. Apparently this taught them that pens are simply obstacles to be overcome. They discovered how to escape — repeatedly.
They’re undeniably cute, but you can’t trust them to stay put. The only thing that reliably entices them back is a bucket of grain.
Speaking of grain, the lambs managed to get into the turkey and duck pen and cleaned out the bird feeder. That led to overeating and scours, and we spent a stressful couple of days syringe-feeding a mix of yogurt and apple cider vinegar every few hours until their stools firmed up.
Fortunately, our landlord had fenced off an acre or two that he wasn’t using this season and generously allowed us to use it. The lambs have stayed put there and we finally have a bit of breathing room.
The Birds
This spring friends incubated eggs for us. We now have 12 turkey poults and seven ducklings in the backyard, a hungry, messy, and entertaining bunch. I’m looking forward to moving them down to join the rest of our flock.
In the larger bird pen our heritage turkeys experienced another unsuccessful hatching season. Although embryos developed, many chicks were unable to break through the egg membrane after 28 days. That’s disappointing, and we suspect the duck eggs we mixed in this year and last may have affected humidity and hatch success.
Duck eggs require higher humidity to hatch successfully, and it’s possible they drew moisture away from the hen eggs during incubation. For now we cleared the hens off the nests, discarded spoiled eggs, and are encouraging the hens to rest, eat, and regain condition. We’ll try again in a month or two — this time without mixing in duck eggs.
We also have a broody duck sitting on a clutch of roughly 15 eggs down below. Fingers crossed she remains faithful to the nest.
Our Missing Tom
Last Sunday the neighbor who runs the RV and trailer park next door knocked on our door — usually not a good sign. Our tom turkey had been missing for about a week. We found feathers and signs of a dog attack but no bird. Normally, when one of our animals wanders, they return within hours because home means food, water, roosts, and companions.
This time he didn’t come back. Two days after his escape someone reported seeing him grazing in the park at 8:30 a.m. I went searching and even released a few of our other birds to make him feel safe, but there was no sign of him. Then, a week later, the neighbor called again: he’d been found alive, living on the porch of an empty trailer — a carpeted porch, of all places — unable to fly and making a mess for the guests.
Instead of going to church we spent that morning cleaning white, green, and black splotches from carpet and renting a carpet cleaner. Not the way we planned to spend the day, but he’s back and we’re relieved.
The Bees
There was a spring rush to get two new beehives established. Building your own boxes, honey supers, and brood frames is time-consuming, but rewarding. We finally got the hives set up and the busy season is underway.
A Garden A-Growing
This year we planted our main garden at a friend’s property. It had been left fallow and needed a lot of weeding, which I plan to tackle today now that I have a short break from the whirlwind of chores.
On the bright side we harvested our first salad from that plot — lettuce, kale, chard, and radishes — and it tasted like a small triumph. Fresh greens always make me feel wealthier.
The Property and House
Our percolation test finally passed, which was a huge relief. The only thing left between us and the bank is the electrical inspection, the results of which were expected weeks ago. Why does everything take longer than anticipated? That seems to be the rule when buying and building.
My partner and I have been finalizing details: choosing siding, picking a bathtub, selecting ceiling and outdoor lights, and deciding on the root cellar and power shed plans. We settled on an interior paint color — “Lemon Lily” — with all-white trim for a simple, clean palette.
So many small decisions remain: how much soil to bring in for the garden, where perennials will go, and whether we’ll plant an edible hedgerow. I’m already dreaming of long-lived plants and a productive landscape.
Then There’s the Secret…
I’ve been working on a special project for readers that’s a bit outside my comfort zone but very exciting. I’ve put a lot of time into it because I want it to be useful and enjoyable. I’m keeping details under wraps for now, but it’s set to launch on July 1st and I can’t wait to share it.
I’m Living In a Whirlwind
My partner is working long hours and both of us are feeling the weight of summer heat and constant tasks. I’ve been packing, sorting, and preparing for the move even though final paperwork isn’t complete — better to be organized and ready than to be caught off guard.
We won’t get lost in the whirlwind. I hope we’ll come through this season calmer, wiser, and more settled than before.