Have you ever noticed how spring feels like a season of fresh starts? The basic framework of our lives remains the same, yet each spring it produces something new.
Take a tree in your yard. The trunk, roots and thick branches may have been there for decades, but every spring the tree renews itself with a new set of leaves—similar to those before, yet unique each year.
This small detail of the seasons has been sinking in for me this spring, and I’ve been living in a kind of quiet awe.
In that spirit of renewal, here’s an update on a few new beginnings in our own life.
FARM LIFE DOWN BELOW
I call it “down below” because most of our farm activity happens there. We still feel so fortunate to have found an ideal rental home. Between our greenhouse space and the animal areas, this place meets our needs better than we could have hoped.
Here’s a brief update on the animals we’re adding to the mix.
POULTRY UPDATE ON DUCKS AND TURKEYS
After overwintering our breeding stock with no artificial lighting, our ducks began laying eggs in the third week of March. The turkeys followed on April 4.
I’ve been keeping a journal this year for the birds and all our food-raising activities to track dates and symptoms carefully.
We recently lost one of our three female ducks, so I’m recording what happened to help recognize any similar signs in other birds.
At the moment we have two clutches. One buff duck is undecided about going broody and keeps switching between her own nest and the turkey nest. Her behavior may be keeping the turkeys away from their eggs. We plan to move the turkey nesting box to a higher spot so the duck can’t reach it; if that doesn’t work, the turkey eggs will go to a friend’s incubator.
THE SHEEP
We took a big step and added two male lambs to the farm. They’re meat-and-wool breed lambs from a local flock and should weigh around 130–140 lbs by August, when they’ll be ready for processing.
Sheep are new to me—though I’ve handled mustangs before—and I’m learning quickly that they’re very different animals. My husband named them: the long, lean black-faced one is Jack Sprat, and the chubby white one is Mr. Hardy.
They’ve only been with us a few days. Once settled, I’ll begin halter training. I’ll need patience and practice, so wish me luck.
BERRY BUSHES AND CUTTINGS
If you remember, I’d been taking cuttings from neighbors’ shrubs. A few of mine dried out, which was disappointing.
Then a neighbor who read my post offered me cuttings from her currants, saskatoons (Juneberries), raspberries and blackberries, and even mentioned strawberries. I was overwhelmed by the generosity—this community really is one of the best parts of living here.
Until we secure our own property, the suckers will live in gunnysacks filled with soil in the backyard. And yes, I will remember to water them.
LAND AND COTTAGE PROGRESSION
Tension has been high as we move toward a decision. This Friday we meet with the bank to learn whether we can get the loan needed to proceed with buying land and building a cottage.
We’ve saved more than we thought possible through disciplined budgeting the last two years, and that has shown us we can make this work. Yet challenges remain. In this valley many contractors and tradespeople are paid in cash, and recent cash work my husband did will affect the loan evaluation.
Even with that obstacle, hope keeps returning like the season itself. We’re holding on to that hope and moving forward as best we can.
IN SUMMARY
Spring brings new beginnings in nature, and this year it has brought several new beginnings for our family as well. We’re ready to embrace what comes.
If you think of us, please pray for steady focus on what matters most, whatever these new beginnings bring.