First Day CSA

We are so blessed to have a small farm down the street that runs a CSA (Community Shared Agriculture) program.  Last week was the first pick up of the season.  Right down the street.  Fresh organic vegetables and the nicest farmer ever.  Quinton has helped us with compost for the garden, getting started with our chickens, providing eggs for us before our hens were laying, and going in with us on orders of meat birds.  


I feel like such a spectacle walking down our street.  I'm jealous of those who can take leisurely walks with their children.  I'm not sure I'll ever be able to do that until I can know for certain that one of them is not going to spontaneously veer off into the path of an oncoming car.  If I had my way I would have one of those monstrous strollers that fit all four of them until age ten or so.  That or sidewalks.


Another farmer on the way grows garlic and sells it at the end of summer.  So good.



Moms and lambs at the farm




Along with the vegetables Quinton offers eggs, meat chickens, and lamb.  


Three of the ewes.  The new flock was born just around Easter and they are so very sweet.  They are a ball to watch and grow so fast.  When we arrived for our pickup Quinton (or Farmer Meyer as the boys call him) asked if anyone wanted to give one of the lambs a bottle!  Yes, please!


One of the ewes gave birth to twins!  When the lamb is born the mother licks the baby clean and during that time picks up its scent.  Ewes will then remember their baby and their baby alone.  They are always free to nurse from their mama but a ewe will be very reluctant to nurse another's baby.  (P.S. That totally gets my mind going on how human birth works and the harm that too many unnecessary interventions can cause.  Barring emergency, moms should be able to hold their babies immediately and  stay close to baby.)  Anyway, this particular lamb was born first and by the time his twin was born mom had somehow 'lost' the scent of her firstborn.  So she wouldn't nurse him and didn't recognize him as her lamb.  Isn't that so sad?


Apparently that doesn't happen that often but it did this time so Quinton has raised this one on a bottle.  They make formula in circumstances like these called 'Save-a-lamb' or something like that.  So John Paul got to feed the sweet thing his bottle.  He comes right over when Quinton calls.  Quinton pointed out how this little lamb is smaller than the others.  But so very sweet!

(I have told Quinton that I'm certified as a doula and would be more than happy, er, ecstatic to come down and help when one of the ewes is giving birth.  He hasn't called yet.  I plan on reminding him.)


We picked up our share for the week (just salad greens this early in the season), chatted with our friendly farmer and headed back home


until next week.


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