June's Man Blog

What a great month it has been. The Bean and I finished the first version of our goat playground in time for our little farmers' market here at the farm. The goats, of course, were not interested in playing with cars and people out and about. They hid out in the barn most of the day. We really should take reservations to view the goats in the evening. It would be like a private picnic, watching the little ones climb and play. It would also get our socially awkward herd accustomed to people besides the three of us.  

If you had told either one of us last year that we would be hosting farmers' markets here at the farm this year, we would not have believed you. Life does have a funny way of taking us all on some rather peculiar twists and turns. Every single time we get what we asked for, but not how we asked to get it, I tell the better half, "The God of Abraham certainly has a sense of humor." Running to farmers' markets every single Saturday in the summer was a bit much. We could have everything packed up the night before and be all ready to roll down the road as soon as we got cleaned up. But the goats need to be milked.  

Fun fact about milking goats: afterward, the milker needs to get a shower to get the barn smell off of them. So the process needed to start at three to get us on the road at five. As much as I do miss our beloved little market, the early morning routine I feel I have aged out of. We kept saying that we would be happy not leaving the farm. One of these days, we will stay on the farm without having to leave. That was a favorite phrase for both of us. Here we are, for the most part, staying on the farm. We do have some live shows lined up this year, but they are a smidge later in the day.

I really like the vibe of our little gatherings. We didn't have the overwhelming opening rush. It never seems like the release of Cabbage Patch Kids. We had a really great turnout, but everybody was steady all day. Everyone had the attitude that they would take a deep breath, slow down, and enjoy the day. I honestly believe that people were not wired to live as close to each other as they do now. I think overcrowding and not knowing anyone around you can make people more aggressive and defensive. I am really starting to enjoy watching folks get out, see the herd, take in the fresh air, and take in the blue sky. I don't think we are ever going to get to the hippie drum-circle level, but we are really laid-back.

We have been talking about setting up a few campsites. I think it would give people a local option to get out in the woods and detoxify from technology. That's the trendy way to say shut that damn phone off and listen to the bull frogs. I was pretty happy for a couple of clearings with a fire pit. Perhaps a rustic little shack with a wood stove for winter excursions. Upper management is more along the lines of a Ritz treehouse overlooking trained goats performing.

The three of us have both been on the same page for our sunflower and now corn mazes. The corn is starting to sprout and will indeed reach knee-high by the 4th of July. The Sunflowers will more than likely be planted this week. The seed dealer said they were not as safe with cold nights as corn or soybeans. I don't know the first thing about sunflowers. They do seem to grow pretty well when spilled by birds.

We are looking forward to getting into the design phase of our mazes this month. Not to spoil any surprises, but it turns out there are some pretty colored sunflowers that you don't see every day.

Until next month, I really hope I won't have to tell you all about the hippie drum circle forming in the people's commune. It might take some twists and turns, but it won't go that far off the rails. Stay safe and wash on.