Looking Back

My how things change.

With March just around the corner I decided

to look back and see how things looked

during our first spring here on the farm.

These pictures were taken all during

the month of March 2010.

In September 2009 we bought our

little Phoebe.

She was a Miniature Mediterranean Donkey.

A friend of ours had offered to give us one

but when that never materialized

we decided to buy Phoebe.

She was 5 months old.

At the end of December

our friend showed up with the male

that he had promised us months earlier.

He was a stud! 

Because we are softies we couldn't tell

him 'too late'....so we kept the donkey

and named him Eeyore.

Along came March.

Unfortunately our fences were no match

for Eeyore's determination

to visit Phoebe

but since she would not be old

enough to breed until she was 

around 3 years old

we decided to have him castrated. 

A couple of weeks later 

Eeyore and Phoebe 

went to live on a large farm

where they could be together with

lots of pasture

and strong fences!

Towards the end of March that year

Hubby and I were in a 'farm store'

and overheard a lady complaining to the

store clerk that they had just been in the 

store with their 12 year old Grandson 

and his friend. 

Behind their back he purchased a chick!

She told the clerk that she wanted to bring the 

chick back because they had no place to keep

a chicken. The clerk said 'sorry...we don't

take chicks back'. 

The lady was ticked so I whispered to hubby

"should we buy it from her?"

Since we had 63 new chicks coming a few

days later he said to go for it. 

The lady was so happy to find a home

for the little fellow that she wouldn't 

take any money.

So 'Spring' came home with us. 

Unfortunately Spring was a Cornish X

and was destined to live a short life.

It may have been short...but it was a good life. 

The very next day was the first day of spring.

We had a snow storm!

Two days later the snow had melted

and the chicks arrived in the mail.

Most of the chicks were Buff Orpingtons.

Yellow fluff balls! 

Their days were spent eating...drinking...pooping

tearing from one end of the trough to the other...

and sleeping.

Sometimes they wore themselves out so much

they fell asleep standing up.

The remainder of the chicks were

Black Australorp.

Hard to believe this little fellow

would grow up to look like this!

While the chicks enjoyed their cozy warm

shelter in the garden shed

the older chickens were able to finally 

enjoy the barnyard.

The barnyard was Eeyore's domain

and he decided that the chickens were

NOT allowed on his turf.

He chased them every chance he got.

The day after Eeyore and Phoebe

left the farm....the chickens

had the barnyard all to

themselves.

They were happy chickens!

FYI ...see that long building? 

We sold it that summer and this time

last year...it was down and hauled away.

Hopefully if we get some rain this summer

we will have some good pasture grass

growing there :)

The end of March meant Shep was 8 months old

and Lizzy and Olly were 9 months old.

Shep had a blast trying to chase the cats.

Olly would run but Lizzy...well

she NEVER backed down.

She stood her ground and then some!

End of March sky.

2010 was a good year for rain but

last year we were in a drought.

Hopefully we do better this year.

Above is our nearest neighbor 

as the crow flies. 

Two years ago the fields across the road 

from us were yellow.

This year they are green with winter wheat

shown below in January 2012.

We'll be keeping our fingers crossed that

this March will be a good month

with lots of gentle rain.

If all goes well the grass seed we sow

will take root before the heavy rains hit.

After all....April is Tornado season

here in Kansas!