‘Round The Farm

Chickens

All this rain has left the chickens a muddy mess! 🐓

Cattle Rotation

It also means the cows get moved more frequently 🐮

Cattle Working Chute

Almost ready to turn our group of bulls into steers ✂️

Moving Chicken Tractors

Last week of hauling these guys around (but don’t worry, there’s more to come 😅)

Featuring Farmer Lexi

You’ve got chores to do, but it’s 70 degrees, the sun is out, my seasonal depression is lifting, and the playlist is banging!

#farmdance #F-Walk #MakeHayWhenTheSunIsShining

Meanwhile, at the Farm:

Calves, Chores, & CHAOS!

Angus Cow with Calf

Hello!

This week, I wanted to take a different approach and share more about our farm life—the ups, the downs, and everything in between. I’ll likely give this format a name, but right now, it’s ‘Round the Farm.

I have a love/hate relationship with Spring. We always dive headfirst, only to realize we’re in way over our heads. But that’s farming for you—we have our busy seasons and our slow seasons. Right now, it’s definitely a busy one!

We had a big surprise on the farm last week—a calf was born! It came from an “open” heifer, meaning she wasn’t supposed to be pregnant. This little one was quite the unexpected gift and added a whirlwind of excitement to our already busy days. After checking the calf to make sure it was healthy… it disappeared! Talk about stress. For two days, I worried my intervention had run it off.

While dealing with the missing calf, we also had to manage our regular farm activities. We’re preparing chickens for the processor tomorrow (Monday), and they should be ready by next week. It will be a relief to have that task checked off the list, though we have another 100 moving in behind them (and 50 Turkeys).

Last week, we took cattle to the processor. These trips are a nice break from the farm with pretty drives, but they leave us playing catch-up with chores and projects when we get back.  Oh, and not to forget the new chore of cleaning the trailer.  

Meanwhile, our girls are deep into their homeschooling. It’s demanding, but they’re like sponges, soaking up knowledge. Lexi handles most of the structured, hands-on learning while I juggle umpteen projects around the farm—projects aimed at scaling and making life easier. The irony, of course, is that these projects seem never-ending, making life busier rather than easier. Oh, the joys of farming!

As we navigated these busy days, the missing calf was always at the back of my mind. The thought of it being lost or hurt was stressful. I checked the fields, the neighbors, and every nook and cranny multiple times, hoping to catch a glimpse of our little runaway. Even spent some time mooing to see if it would moo back.  The farm chores and homeschooling kept us busy, but the worry lingered. It was a tense couple of days.

While worrying about the calf, we had to plan for next week. Our schedules are at the point that if it’s not scheduled, it doesn’t get done. Looking ahead, we’re diving into haymaking for the first time next week. Typically, we pay someone to cut and bale or we buy it in, but this year, we’re taking on the challenge ourselves. It’s another step toward self-sufficiency, but it adds another layer to our already busy weeks.

Finally, after two days of worry, the calf reappeared, safe and sound. Before that, I was actually looking off in the distance contemplating making another trip through dense brush, when my daughter pointed out that the mother was nursing! It was a happy ending to a nerve-wracking couple of days. This little surprise reminded me of the unpredictable nature of farming and life.

Farming often gets romanticized—working the land, living close to nature. And while there’s truth to that, it’s also a chaotic dance of projects, chores, and deadlines, all dictated by the weather. Nothing ever goes exactly to plan. I’d like to say that’s just farming, but really, that’s life. Our lives have seasons too. While we often show the romantic and good side, there’s also a chaos that only we know about—and that’s okay. Life is about balance—the good and the bad, the light and the dark, the yin and the yang.

I know that while we’re super busy now, things will eventually settle down. And when they do, I’m sure we’ll be looking for new ways to add a bit more chaos to our lives!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into our farm life. It’s not always pretty, but when the chaos settles, it’s our own little piece of heaven. Stay tuned for more updates, and as always, have a wonderful week!

P.S. We love seeing our products in action! Share your culinary creations with us on Facebook, Instagram, X(Twitter), and Threads.  Let’s spread the joy of cooking and eating together.

Thanks for following us and allowing us to serve you.  If you have questions or would like to share your thoughts, give us a shout!  Have a wonderful week!

Longbottom Farm Family

With Our Appreciation,

Jason, Lexi, and Family