Spring has Sprung and Summer's Begun

We just wanted to share a little slice of life - So here's what we've been up to lately...

One of the biggest spring jobs we accomplished this year was planting the garden!!! Joseph, Michael and Bryn started us off by trimming down the weeds and tilling the garden beds. Then we amended and fluffed the soil to make it ready for the new seeds and plant starts that we purchased from a nearby nursery. The next morning our whole family took the day off from other activities to enjoy working together for the final preparations before we all dove in and started planting! We made a fun time of it  together in the nice weather and can't wait to taste the fruits of our labor. 

Another important spring job is caring for the animals and moving them around for a seasonal transition. That's Zachary, Chad, and Joseph moving some pigs, after moving the cows from our winter dry lands to our freshly new irrigated pastures. During this time of year, our young chickens start laying, the pigs start snorting, and the cows excitedly strip the plump seed heads from their grassy shoots! 

The water canal here at Our Lady's Ranch gets opened every spring on April 15th, so that's when Michael and Joseph start setting up our irrigation system for the 65 + acres that we keep green all summer. They're on the job three times a day zipping around on the quad to rotate the water along each paddock through the 6" silver pipes that circle the pastures. They don't mind the job at all, but mom doesn't like the zipping part so much.

One of my personal favorites... burn piles! We had a few tree's fall this winter because of the soft ground resulting from so much rain. So we cut and collected the firewood throughout the cold season, and piled up the slash for a future day of reckoning. Well, sure enough that day came and the fires got high and hot. They were truly sights to see, sometimes reaching over thirty feet tall. But the best part of that day was not watching the fires. It was watching the younger kids enjoy them while showing them how to be safe... like big brother Zachary above, teaching young Michael a thing or two about the elements.

What's this - tractor and gate problems? Yup! Our front gates froze up and our tractor decided to break down :( So instead of hiring out the repairs, we just called the boys! With a few tools and maybe an hour or two later... all's fixed and working again with a confidence-building exercise for the young men around here... "Way-to-go gents." 

And last but never least... We recently began a new farmer's market season. Each Saturday we get up early to pack the trailer and head on out! We set up two booths - one for frozen meat and another for tasty food (breakfast burritos with our very own ranch eggs and country sausage followed by grass-fed beef burgers for lunch). The day moves along with live music, healthy food, happy families, and meeting lots of new people... all in all, another wonderful day during a new wonderful season! 

Well, there you have it - getting off to a good start this summer! Thanks for joining us along these adventures out here at Our Lady's Ranch.