UPDATE COMING SOON!
I came to the realization, which stemmed from sheer frustration, that running this homestead is a full time job. It is like a machine with so many components and when one part doesn't work, the whole engine or machine stops working. (Or it runs so poorly you want to disassemble the whole thing and build up from parts again.)
It became evident that our farm goals are failing miserably due to one simple fact: it is full time work for two. And so long as one of us is working full time outside the home, we will fail at our goals.
And we are.
It isn't that what we need to do is too hard, but it wastes money and resources when it isn't done in a timely fashion. It also can not be done alone.
That is why this last week, I took it upon myself to attempt to sell off the majority of our birds rather than process them.
The saying, "I have more time than money", does not ring true on our farm. Time must be what you have plenty of in order for animals to be healthy and well cared for. Otherwise you become poor stewards of what you have.
There are certain tasks around this farm I can do myself or with the help of the kids. We can manage 98% of what needs doing in the garden. We can feed and water the animals as well as tend to their basic needs.
But despite all the areas I have both skill and knowledge, I do not have the ability to assemble a place to process chickens and turkeys. I said weeks ago that it would be so easy to process animals if things were set up and it wouldn't even need to be fall/winter to do it! I have a kitchen in my garage that would be perfect for chicken and even turkey processing.
Yet all the plans we can make to provide our own meat are pointless if there isn't time to do it. With one person outside the home full time, that leaves only one day to work on the farm. With all the other things that need doing, we become bankrupt on time. Farming doesn't work like that. It is full time work. You need more than one day to do all the things that need doing or else the farm falls short of its purpose.
And that is exactly where we are at...
I think sometimes we put the cart before the horse thinking that things will go smoothly and everything will be in place when times comes. But that is foolishness! Or is it ignorance?
So my plan is to get rid of most of the poultry (except quail) and hold on to enough to reproduce them in the future. Perhaps some day we will have our acts together and get this show on the road the way it should have been from the beginning.
Maybe some day, we will have our priorities straight.
Frustrating I am sure. It is alot like my situation. I have so many projects to do, most I cannot do alone anymore and do not want to be a burden on your dad. Do what you can, manage time, delegate and leave the rest to the Lord.
ReplyDeleteTruth be told, I could keep doing it. But I can't do it alone which is essentially what I am doing. One day a week isn't enough time to get things done and that should have been considered far before we took on more animals. It takes HOURS to process 20 chickens. Literally hours for me because I have to do the work. We don't have grown children with us to help any longer. That was another error on my part. Problem is that these things aren't available from other farmers. If the infrastructure was up and in a good spot, I could process these chickens on my own. It isn't up yet. Hasn't been and it should have been up a year ago.
ReplyDeleteIm so sorry. Sometimes two people just do not share the same goals and priorities. All you can do is what you can do and pray for resolution of other issues that stand in the way of goals.
ReplyDeleteHow is the ringworm epidemic? Clearing up? I know it is one more thing on your plate you have had to deal with mostly alone. Just remember God's Grace is sufficient.
Gardening alone take time, effort and even some financial help. I’m fortunate that with Tom disabled he is home to do a lot of our little garden bed maintenance while I am working. We don’t have the added responsibility of animals too. We’ve both discovered that growing food is work! But with great benefits. My plan now is to expand our perennial food such as berries, fruit trees, elderberry, rhubarb, and asparagus which once planted and doing well need only some maintenance, and also slowly expand the raised beds while being aware of when it becomes borderline too much. It’s a process and sometimes trial and error.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is a lot of work and tedious at times, but it boils down to your intent/desire/purpose of it is and how important is it. Where there's a will, there's a way. You have some still in nest that could probably do more and even with full time job, time for a couple hours of work. Maybe need to do cost benefit analysis based on time/work in and the return, drop just low return parts. Love you guys.
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