Well, I’ve begun the first two tasks that will lead us to opening for animal rescue next summer. The first task is cleaning out the small barn ~ shoveling all the old hay and manure into a compost pile (one far from the barn!); re-building or re-attaching the doors whose hinges have rotted through the door’s wood; and brainstorming what to do about the other areas that need a bit of TLC.

The second task is taking down all of the barbed wire that fences in many parts of the farm’s pastures. One morning last week, I gathered my Kevlar-lined work gloves and bolt cutters, put on my heavy work boots, and headed out to the far corner of the property convinced that, well, that I was totally up for this task! Piece of cake! Sharp bolt cutters at the ready! Did I stop to remember that I’ve never ~ ever in my life! ~ worked with barbed wire? Nooo. This stuff is wicked! The piece that’s pictured below was sticking up in the middle of the path we walk. It had been laying across the path, covered with grass, until I pulled on one end. After I took this picture, I kept pulling … and pulling … and cutting away grass … and pulling more up from the grass-covered ground. Then I carefully started cutting the long wire into pieces that would fit in my bucket (I need a much larger bucket!). I fell in love with my gloves and bolt cutters that afternoon and remembered a really valuable lesson that apparently I need to re-learn many times in this life: before I start doing anything I’ve never done before, ask someone who has!

Take care, everyone, and stay tuned for more from the farm! Tracy