Unexpecteds

Unexpected it was to have a third lamb from old ewe Arlene. "Patience" is catching up fast to her siblings. And  due to unexpected expenses two of our cows will soon become beef, beef to barter with and beef to sell. The animals are our investments and they have lead a very good life. Does justification make this easier? Maybe. On a more up beat note so unexpected are the colors and textures and flavors harvested for salad in the greenhouses. There is such satisfaction to know we are providing for you despite the teenager roller coaster weather. Must admit to eating salad near every day here too. Now if we could just get those tomato plants to bear sooner we would be in paradise! To go along with the harvest of greens is the unexpected bounty  - harvest of eggs from our 400 layers. The food cupboard is content to get the fresh boxes of muli- colored eggs these last few weeks. Speaking of layers we have 250 new layer chicks in our brooder barn. Unexpectedly they came on the coldest day of winter. Fifty came dead on arrival. The hatchery gave us a break on some replacements. That Saturday was hard in too many ways. the weather has us also , unexpectedly, delaying our spring outdoor plantings. Usually we seed down greens and roots outdoors by now. My beloved grandfather always gave the advice, " Don't have a profession that depends on the weather  Sorry granddad!( He was in the ski industry himself) And in closing we have had unexpected visitors coming to help, new neighbors that have saved us of many calamities, and share holders who have trusted us again with their prepayments. On those bad unexpected  days  we have those unexpected delightful notes in our mailboxes, those visitors that just want a task to help with and the fridge empty of the dozens of eggs we s before put within.