Filling up the Ol' Bank Barn

So many lambs.  Every time I go into the barn for tools, to feed the rabbits or just to peek in, there is such a clamor of baas, bleats, grunts, gurgles, and thuds.  There was a total of 20 lambs this spring of varying colours, sizes and personalities.  As the mothers laze around eating, chewing, and relaxing the babies are zooming around, eating, huddled together or by their moms sleeping, pestering their moms for milk or climbing on everything, including their moms.  The best part though is when the moms are fed, or when they are all outside! Jumps, kicks, twists, leaping all over the place!  The lambs are so amusing to watch, it instantly cheers you up, and you can't help but stop and watch their antics for a while.  New life is so exciting, I find myself heading to the barn more often than I need to, just to check on the baby rabbits, or watch the lambs for a while.  It's a shame that they will all grow up and become less cute.  But I suppose that's life. So the rabbits are two and a half weeks old, their eyes are open, and they've begun to run all over the cage, chasing their mother in search of food.  It has been really nice having these rabbits at the farm.  Since I don't have any chickens at the moment, and I was milking cows all winter, I miss animal companionship and chores.  EB is always so happy to see me, and her kits are so fun to watch, I can't believe how large they have grown in two weeks.  I pulled one out to show some young neighbours.  They are as fat as butter, warm, and covered in super soft white fur, so adorable and kind of resemble little terriers with their square faces and short ears.   They will be weaned in about four weeks time and then will begin their life outside in the rabbit tractor.  This special pen will allow them to eat fresh grass all day long, and the pen can be moved to a new patch of grass once a day, or whenever they need a new patch.  

The 2012 Season Begins

So my first week back to the farm has been both exciting and disappointing.  Bad news first, the rototiller is dead.  It is a sad day, we spent a lot of hours together; working up soil, preparing beds, and destroying weeds.  Not sure yet whether it is worth fixing, or if I will get a new partner in crime. Now for the good news. All my trays of seeds have begun to show life.  Baby tomatoes, peppers and eggplants poking their heads out of the soil.  I think this is my favorite part of gardening, seeing the seedlings.  Whether it is in a tray or in the garden, it is new life, all neat and tidy, and in the case of beds, still freshly worked, weed free and perfect.  I will post some pictures of my babies when I get a chance. And speaking of babies, my plunge in to the world of rabbits has been very exciting so far.  I've been getting to know E.B. (named by my favorite young neighbours, short for Easter bunny) my white New Zealand doe, and on Easter Sunday she had a wonderful litter of little, pink, wiggly, ratlike bunnies.  It is her second litter, so hopefully she is well experienced because I certainly am not.  I haven't looked too hard into her nest of white fur that she pulled out and made for them, I don't want to disturb them too much, but it looks like around 8.  And with 8 babies to feed, I have noticed that she is drinking and eating more than ever. This also means that I will soon need to purchase a nice buck for the next batch of rabbits, as well as work on some new cages for them all.  Once the little rabbits are about 6 weeks old they will be weaned and put in a new home outside that will allow them to eat grass, get some exercise and some fresh air while they grow up.  The rabbit tractor can be pulled to new patches of grass as needed. The next couple of weeks should be interesting, with the gardening really getting started, day old chicks arriving eventually, as well as some laying chickens.