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So much for relaxing after I finished sourcing hay and firewood to last me the rest of spring. I’ve got about a month to finish rehabbing our Family room, order trees, chickens, ducks and get ready for summer. It was nice while it lasted. I mean, I got to watch 2 whole movies from Netflix last week. Wow. What a loafer I am. I’ll pay for it tonight when I’m at the office until midnight. And trying to layout where the walnut trees will go after dark tomorrow.

My parents called and asked me to order them some ducks. They live near an inlet on the Kalamazoo River (motto: We  Heart Superfund!). They want ones that don’t fly anywhere and that they don’t have to feed. I explained that if they don’t migrate (fly) somewhere in the fall, they’ll have to feed them during the winter. We quickly settled on domesticated mallards. I hope that works. I’ll keep everyone posted about eating ducks next fall if it doesn’t work out. I’m looking at some Pekin or Muscovy ducks. Big, tasty birds. I already have too many eggs and I’m about to order more layers! Call me stupid…or Ishmael. It’s time to try and sell some of that tasty Free Range goodness!

Fences. Fences. Fences. I have to repair the electric fence. Again. Of course, I also have to deal with the fact that 20 chickens running across the lawn may be too many, so I’ll also have to sort of “corral” them using chicken wire on the lower part of the fence. I doubt this will work, but I also think Cath will draw the line at that many chickens eating under the bird feeder.

In related Spring news, I took one of our bikes into the Western Auto store to get fixed. Yes, we really do have a Western Auto store. Also, yes, I plan to take up cycling. I beat up my right knee pretty good jogging and playing soccer, so it might be time to find a low impact way to get around and exercise. I’ll keep you posted. Maybe. I mean, if I end up hating it so much I’d rather get fat or get knee surgery then I’ll keep it quiet. That way you can imagine me being all green and healthy and stuff, when I’m really driving my 5.8L truck everywhere and putting on pounds like Ben Stiller in Dodgeball.

Enough about that, however. Times a-wastin’. I have to run errands.

I feel like a total Cubs fan. I mean, I’ve already given up on them and its February, but I keep telling myself “wait til next year” – about everything else. For one thing, I had to get yet another load of firewood this weekend and I expect to get at least two more before the winter weather breaks for good. For another, I am realizing how much I have to learn about cattle and farming in general. Chickens – no problem. I’ve almost got that nailed. The rest of it is going to take awhile.

We’ve been here almost a year – just over a year if you count the 8 weeks I spent sleeping on a couch before we closed on the house here. As with most pioneers, though, it is the first winter that tells the story. So far, we’ve done pretty well with everything except the wood. I got the tractor right before all the big snows, so that I could leave my driveway. All the major home improvement stuff was completed before the weather got too bad, but this firewood situation has added some real anxiety where there shouldn’t have been. Be prepared. Next year. Just wait.

Of course, with Spring just around the corner, I’m now faced with decisions about fruit and nut saplings, planting the garden, rehabbing our pastures, and figuring out just how the heck to get that baling twine off of Blossom’s horns. Oh, and why is Sean the bull sleeping in the bale feeder? Next winter, I hope to have answered all these questions PLUS figuring out how much wood I need in advance.

It’s not helping that I am working 8 – midnight at my “day” job, which makes the whole gentleman farmer gig a bit rough on top.  The good news is that a friend of mine from college just got back in touch with me. He’s a vet. Hopefully, he’s spent years working with large animals and not, say, iguanas and house cats.

We order trees and chickens in the next couple of weeks. I’ll keep everyone posted on our choices. I’ll also post a “Year In Review” type thing, once I get out from under at work.