updates from the farm, while its raining

My days seem crazy lately.  I try my best to keep a good balance between farming, being a mother and doing my job at my actual paying job.  It gets stressful quick and I definitely have my failure moments but I always know that this is the life for me and totally worth all the craziness.  So my day starts with animals chores, feeding & watering the chickens and now PIGS ( yes another wild idea), then I go onto either seeding trays, harvesting or planting in the garden.  Oh wait, that's not how my day starts.  First, I get Thomas up and ready for school which is a challenge , he is a night owl unlike me,  then off to school we go.  So back to farming, the to-do list is always long and ever changing, I just do what can be done or what is most pressing at that moment.   My cows are in 2 lease pastures that are on opposite sides of town, they need to be checked at least twice weekly but because some are soon to calve, I really need to check them more often so we do that late in the evenings or before work.  Planting, Planting, Planting is top priority right now ans luckily my dad can run the tractor for the larger crops and I can plant at home by hand.  Most everything is planted by hand here at CFF except for the cowpeas and corn.  I have some really great friends who are able and willing to get down and dirty when the times comes.  Thank you! They know who they are.  On most spring days, it is hard to stop for lunch, I drink lots of coffee and my healthy diet falls by the wayside.  When Thomas comes home from school, it is time to feed all these animals all over again.  Egg collecting, moving chicken tractors on pasture, and watering the greenhouses are added evening chores.  Then I attempt to feed, bathe and spend some quality time with my son but it can be difficult.  Luckily he LOVES to be outside, loves to plant flowers and work on the farm so that is where we do most of our bonding.  Its go go go time on the farm and Thomas follows as best as he can.  Last night while checking cows, we got out of the truck and blew bubbles in the pasture, it is the little things that make him happy.  I do whatever I can to take that moment to show him that I appreciate his willingness to follow his mom on this crazy farming journey we are on.  And thanks to all of you that support us, we certainly couldn't do it without you!

Highway 19 Produce is harvesting the best strawberries now, contact them for some. You can find Chandler Family Farm at the Good Local Markets in Dallas on Saturday and Sunday.

If you are interested in the Deep Roots CSA, we have a few spots left but hurry deliveries start May 3rd.