Filling the empty nest
Our children were incredulous when we announced we were moving and had made an offer on a 40 acre farm. They could not fathom that we had made this decision without inviting them to weigh- in or even asking their opinion. Frankly it sounds harsh now but we really didn't care what they thought. This was our dream, our future and we had worked long and hard to get to this point. They were heading in all directions, college, marriage, Australia; we always supported their dreams and aspirations, now it was their turn to support ours.
As the last one graduated from High School and prepared for college we packed up the contents of our beloved bungalow in town, potted up a few treasured perennials from our beautiful garden and loaded up a rented u haul to move to Brown Dog Farm. We were only 5 miles away but our world was going to change dramatically.
As our nest has emptied of two- legged children we have replaced threefold with four-legged and winged animal children.We brought the name sake two brown dogs with us and then added a third. Our nest even came pre-filled as we adopted three yellow barn cats, two sheep, an Angora goat and a llama from the previous owners. As soon as we were sufficiently moved in, our horses arrived from the farm they had been boarded. Soon they were joined by a brood of chicks. We filled the nest before the last chick fledged.
These animals and their care have kept me occupied and given me solace as my children have launched. My days are organized around 'barn chores' the twice a day rituals of feeding, watering, checking feet and feathers, gathering eggs, cleaning pens and stalls, and learning and watching these friendly beasts. I find myself operating as I did as a new mother. First there is research. Read every book you can get your hands on, endless google searches, hanging out at the counter in the local feed store, trying to wheedle more information out of the veterinarian, or the lady who answers the vet's phone; anything to help me feel like I am at all capable of taking care of my flock of beasts. These are a few of the actual searches that recently come to mind:
can sheep eat swiss chard
how long does a hen stay broody
when do you worm goats
can llamas and sheep have the same minerals
how to prevent scurf in fleece
will Ivermectin prevent dung beetles in my pastures
Then there is practice and trial and error. I have developed systems and rituals and have learned their personalities, their likes and dislikes. For instance, do not try to get between a guard llama and an Icelandic ewe to force wormer down her throat. You will always end up on the ground. Mixing it with applesauce works much better, everybody loves applesauce. And, yes llamas do spit, they can regurgitate something from their bowels and fling it at you from four feet away. Also, Labradors favorite food is not garbage from the neighbors trash like I thought , it is actually every other animals poop. No need to clean up after the chickens shit all over the feed room, 3 Chocolate Labs can do the trick just fine.
I have questions every day and sometimes no answers. I am learning as I go and it’s thrilling and keeps my thoughts grounded in the here and now. I worry less over my sons and where they are and what they are doing and how terribly I miss them. Now I wake up at 3:07 am and instead of obsessing over whether or not one boy is eating enough and if the other is exercising enough, I worry about the goat's itchy skin, and the sheep hooves, and when the farrier needs to come and how much hay I need for winter. My nest is not empty it is still very, very full.