HOMEGROWN Life: The Longest Days of the Year

Reader Contribution by Farmaid And Homegrown.Org
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It’s quiet time, with milking finished for the day, curds in the pot to set overnight. Lights are out in the barn, with only evening’s last rays passing through the windows. Music plays softly from the radio perched on the old wooden shelf above the milking stand. Classical—the girls like classical.

Barnie, aka Mr. Zen, is nestled under the hayrack, with Frannie close by. My first two goats. We’ve learned a lot together. They were four months old when they came to me, my goat mentor continuing to give them bottles way past when they really needed them. He wanted me to have the experience of feeding them and have them bond with me. It worked. Both ways.

This year’s newest babe, I call him Little Spider, is tucked into his corner in the kids’ stall. He was born just six weeks ago and is still enjoying his bottle feedings. It wasn’t so long ago that his mom, Sea Princess, was his size. They grow up so quickly. I’m trying to savor time with him, and since he’s the littlest, I tend to indulge him a bit. He especially likes to be held, laying his head on my shoulder when I pick him up. Soon he’ll be too big for that, but for now, I’ll take the extra cuddles.

The days are longer now. The light bends its way into day and gracefully flows away in the evening. The early hours are my favorite. Everything is calmer, quieter, easier. Before the day starts with the clanging of shiny stainless milk totes and buckets, before the work begins, there’s a gentleness. It’s easy to get lost in it, to wander with the flock onto the paths that lead to the lush grass and tender new forage. They follow me as I open the fences so they can have their way with pine branches and blueberry leaves, raspberry stems, buttercups now in full bloom. It’s a full-blown assault on all things leafy and green.

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