Parker Farmstead, a Family Farm since 1870

It’s that time of the season when most of us are ready to leave winter far behind. Tuesday morning was the first time all winter I heard a definite cheerful Spring Song from the birds. It helped that it was a still morning so they weren’t drowned out by the squeaky windmill or the winter winds. It’s often hard to rise and shine, bundle up, and step into the cold, but the sounds of the farm and nature are the best alarm radio. Crunch crunch of the fresh snow under our boots, the moos of the cattle as they know breakfast is coming soon. The knicker of the sheep and goats when you swing the door open and enter the barn. Monday morning our 3rd ewe gave birth just before 7am. As soon as I walked into the barn I knew a birth was happening. The sweet feeble baa of the new baby and momma quietly talking to her new lamb and licking it off. Soon she began to strain and paw the straw as another lamb was coming. All day she tended, talked, nudged them to nurse, and guarded them from intruders. What a joy to witness.

As I near the milking barn I hear the hum of the milking equipment and I greet the boys in the parlor and help them milk a little before feeding the nursery calves. While milking we have the best conversations. We plan our days, our weeks, our crops, our budget. We share laughs, stories, debate, and sometimes argue. We talk to the cows.

I move on- filling the bottles with warm pasteurized milk from the previous milking. I load them on the little wagon and as soon I turn the corner to the calf barn they know I’m coming. They eagerly drink and then, finally, it’s mostly quiet. Then, all I hear is them munching hay and nibbling their grain and the starlings waiting for me to leave so they can swoop in and get their share of the grain.

As I pull the wagon back to the parlor the rumble of equipment is close by as the boys are now feeding the cows. I call for Gertie to follow me back to the chicken coop. I hear a rooster crow. That surprise chicken from the hatchery will not be laying eggs!

The music of our day keeps us moving and listening.