Every day of the week brings more items on the to - do list than I ever seem to mark off. Finally, the weather is to be a bit nicer today and it will be a little dryer so I have decided that once preschool is finished with my grandbaby, it is out the door to play and work. Farm chores never seem to end here either and just as with housework, a daily routine can be quite an asset to keep things running smoothly.
Starting the morning with a cup of fresh brewed coffee and my Bible study is always best. It sets my mind and spirit where it needs to be. I like to wake up before my husband and start my morning in the quiet of the day. He likes to watch the news, etc. and the grandbabies are here by the time he's moving. There is no quiet then.
Once I drop the oldest off at school, then it is home to start the load of laundry for the day and make sure dinner is planned for the most part. I look at my calendar and I look at the daily cleaning charts that I keep and decide how I will work the day. I usually do one house chore before we start preschool as the grand loves to watch Spidey and Friends. This gives me about 30 minutes to get a bit of work accomplished and gather supplies for the school day.
Once that is over, we begin preschool. I am thankful that preschool is fairly easy, because although I homeschooled both of my girls, I just don't feel that I have much in me these days for school. We start with chalkboard work and move into our workbooks, reading and usually a video or ABC Mouse on the computer, which gives me another few minutes to do more housecleaning or something for work. Usually, we are doing school for about 2 hours- if she is cooperating like she needs too.
Once that is finished, we usually will eat lunch if it is time. If not, it is outside to do chores and play. For today, that will consist of cleaning the side yard from all sticks that have fell from the trees and sweeping the porch. Not really farm work, but outside work goes under farm chores in my thinking. We usually check the baby chicks to be sure their tote is clean and dry as well as that they have food and water.
Next, we must work on chicken nesting boxes today as they need cleaned and restocked with bedding. The mud and rain have thoroughly had the eggs being very nasty at times the last week or two. We usually start in the barn, but today the big coop is the first to be done. All 6 coops and the barn will be cleaned and bedding replaced. Hopefully, it is less than two hours, but I am not sure. I would prefer straw, but bedding is much cheaper than straw.
After that is completed, we will move on to making sure everyone has feed and clean water. The ducks and geese make a mess of their water as soon as you start to fill in, so I will do theirs last in case I run out of time today. If times allows, they will get fresh water today, if not, tomorrow they will be first. Feeding and watering usually does not take long, but many of them need cleaned today as they are muddy and dirty from the rain. Plus, the chickens seem to make a mess of them when they are finished free ranging for the day. I like to supplement their natural foods with store bought food. They get layer pellets and some cracked corn each day.
While we are at the barn, we will check the garden as well and pull any weeds that we see. It is still early in the planting season so I must be sure it is a weed. I have pulled plants before, and my husband was not happy; they looked like weeds to me. Watering won't be necessary today, but by Friday I am sure it will be added to the list of things to do, as it is to be dry all week. I noticed yesterday that the tomato plants have blooms on them. I am excited for them! What is better than a handful of fresh picked cherry tomatoes? Nothing!!!
Once all of that is finished, if time allows, I will begin to work on some of the cleaning of the barn. All three stalls need cleaned good and new hay placed into each of them. The stall where the ducks roost each night seems to be needing a bit of dirt to level it as well, so wheelbarrow will need to be filled with some dirt and brought in and shoveled out into it. The stall seems to stay wet for some reason so I will try to figure that out as well. The stall where the sheep and goats sleep has hay in it, but I will clean it and place new hay or bedding in it as well. Got to make sure these animals are all cared for and that everything stays clean. That will probably be the last thing on my list and then it will be time to make dinner, do dishes, sweep and mop and begin to get ready for the next day and the chores for that day.
Many chores, little time, but so much better than city life could ever be!
You have to be so organized with your busy life, whew.
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