We are asked all the time: how do you do it? How do you keep up with farming and kids and work and social activities?
The answer is that we don’t keep up with it all. But, we do try to keep up with what is important and do a lot of juggling in the process. How would you like a sneak peek at a summer day on the farm?
Now, each day of the week looks a little different, depending if we have CSA drop offs or if the farm store is open.. But, here’s a typical summer Monday on the farm:
6:00 AM
Most of our days begin the same way: Cock-a-doodle-doooooo! The rooster’s calls are swept into the house with the breeze from the open windows.
Bernard heads out to the barn to milk our dairy goat, who is also usually calling for him. Maaa-aaa! The barn cats generally get in the way of milking as they wait for a small bowl of fresh milk, which they lap up eagerly. Bernard brings the milk inside to get it cooled in the fridge.
Our older kids head out to our small orchard where the chicken coop is, feed the chickens, and open the door to a virtual stampede of emerging, hungry chickens.
Meanwhile, Bernard opens up a new area of pasture for the cows and their calves that stay here with us in the summer. He also opens the sides of the high tunnel, which are closed at night to keep the temperature regulated.
Then, it’s inside for a breakfast of farm fresh eggs and vegetables, and maybe even a glass of milk on the side.
7:30 AM
By this time, everyone is up, and Bernard starts his full-time job by retreating to the office upstairs for some quiet. We love that he’s working from home a couple days a week!
Angie and the kids do their morning chores: dishes, cleaning the dining table, brushing teeth, making beds, and all the usual tasks for a morning. And, always, always, a cup of coffee for Angie.
8:30 AM
It’s time to head to the gardens! All the kids pitch in, either harvesting a specific vegetable or just carrying and stacking crates of vegetables after we harvest them.
Angie walks the garden and high tunnel and decides what is ready to harvest to put into the CSA baskets this week. She also makes note of what needs to be weeded and spies out any pests or trouble spots that need to be addressed. Since we do everything by hand, it’s important to stay vigilant about what pests or troubles may be starting, so we can try to mitigate them as soon as possible.
After that, it’s harvesting vegetables, dividing them, and loading into CSA baskets for delivery. Of course, there are a dozen interruptions from the kids who need Mama or a cuddle or found a bug or one of a million pressing questions. Once all the baskets are loaded in our large CSA fridge, we head indoors.
12:30 PM
It’s lunch time for the kids. By this time our kids are clamoring for some food after a morning of work outdoors.
After lunch, our kids head outdoors to feed the chickens and collect eggs. The chickens love them and come running. It’s so funny to watch! They bring in a basket full of eggs, place them in cartons, and record it on a clipboard.
1:00 PM
Our kids have “rest time” in their rooms or outdoors, where they play quietly and don’t bother mom. ;)
Angie makes up a quick lunch and sits for a bit of rest herself. She’s learned that this time of rest is vital for her. She sits without guilt for an hour or so and just does what she wants, whether that’s reading a book, watching a show, or scrolling social media.
2:30 PM
The kids are now done with rest and beg to go outside to play. While they play, Angie turns her attention to business on the computer: writing emails to our CSA members or farm email list, scheduling Facebook posts, editing garden pictures, and planning and writing posts here on the blog.
3:30 PM
Then, Angie usually gets some canning done. This week that was some Dilly Beans, Honey & Spice Tomato Jam, and Pepper Jam.
Our kids also give the chickens any compost or fruit pieces leftover from canning projects and collect more eggs.
5:00 PM
Bernard finishes work in the office, and the kids rejoice! Next, it’s family dinner time.
In the summer, we eat a variety of stir fry a couple times a week. Angie takes whatever vegetables we have (almost always seconds that grew funny or have an imperfection), some protein, and fries it all up together into a satisfying meal.
Bernard and Angie talk about tasks for the evening, and then everyone heads to their projects.
Many nights in the summer will find Angie in our kitchen canning, either jam to sell, or fruit or vegetables for our family to use in the winter months.
Bernard typically heads outdoors to fix fencing, weed in the garden, or plant crops for a fall harvest.
8:00 PM
It’s bedtime for the kids…books are read, snuggles are given, and prayers are said. In the late summer, our daughter heads out to close up the chicken coop as it’s dark enough they’ve already put themselves inside.
Bernard heads out to the barn to feed the dog and cats, and gets everything ready for tomorrow: checking and filling water buckets, preparing the chicken feed, and making sure the goats have hay and minerals available if they want them.
He also brings in a few eggs that were missed, since we have a few chickens that love to lay and hide their eggs in the barn.
Angie finishes her canning project and straightens up the kitchen for the next day.
10:00 PM
Bernard and Angie connect about their days and enjoy a few moments together before crashing for the night.
Then, they get up and do it all again the next day!
It’s a full life, and like anything else, comes with challenges. But, the feeling of complete satisfaction at the end of the day is so worth it all!
