Sprinkles hit the window of the truck as I drove home from work…Even though the clouds had been there since last night… these were the first drops of the rain that had been predicted…

Since it was only sprinkling I ran to feed the goats before the showers set in, knowing they wouldn’t eat if their food got wet and the weather man was predicting showers for a couple of days (maybe up to 5 inches) which would make it hard to get them some dry morsels for a while.

When I reached the first goat yard I noticed little Jack with his head through the gate. I teased him saying, Jack you are acting just like your mama goat Carole…sticking your head in places you shouldn’t. I reached over to give him a little rub on his back thinking he’d soon dart away at my touch.

To my surprise…Jack was stuck in the gate. I mean…really stuck!…I quickly fed the other goats the rest of the bucket so they could eat and then came back to help little Jack. I couldn’t budge him. Then I noticed he had scraped his little shoulder against the metal on the gate and was bleeding. I quickly returned to the house to get Clay to come help. A strong scrapping of a boy should be good for helping free a little baby goat I thought…So Clay came back to the goat yard to help. We had to get the hammer and take the top of the gate loose from the post to make enough room to free the baby’s head. How he had managed to get in there in the first place…I do not know. Clay said he must have turned his head sideways…and then his ears made it so he couldn’t pull back through…Humm…already getting stuck and he hasn’t even grown his horns out yet!

I picked him up and gently maneuvered his little head until he was free. I then took him over and stroked his little back to calm him and put some ointment on his cut. It seemed to be only a scratch with a little fur missing, but did not look serious. After giving him a good check, I sent him over to nuzzle with his mommy goat who soon gave him a good scolding and then allowed him to nurse.

I am so glad I went on out to check on the goats this afternoon…and that I was able to get little Jack unstuck before the rain set in…so he wasn’t trapped in the rain away from his mamma goat for no telling how long until the showers would stop and we would have ventured out…That would not have been good. I hope too that he learned his lesson…and doesn’t follow in the footsteps of his mom who loves to reach to the other side of the fence and get stuck… just because she thinks the grass is greener there!

Jack and Jill live in the goat yard…Jack stuck his head in the gate and got it stuck…and Jill "ba-ba-baaaed" "What cha doing Jack?" "I’m not tumbling after you silly brother!" And so he stayed ‘til the farmer came home to free him…

And so goes another day in the goat yard!

It was a cloudy overcast afternoon, so I knew I needed to get the feeding chores done right away or get caught by a shower.  I tucked in my little seedlings into the greenhouse, went and fed the poultry crew, and then headed to the goat yards to feed the babies.

There was nothing too eventful going on at the farm this afternoon. The turkeys had laid a couple of eggs. One of them was close to the turkey nest I had made them…(guess I still need some training on how to build a turkey nest!) But mostly everyone was just hungry and glad to get some food.

With the last goats fed I went into the goat pen to play with Jack and Jill. They were sleeping so I climbed the fence and went over to pick them up. They sleepily opened their eyes and said…"maaaaaaaaaa"…that’s "hi"…in goat. I was petting them and playing when I realized I hadn’t seen Buttons today.

So I put the babies down and went to look for Miss Buttons. I walked along the fence searching and calling for the young goat. But I didn’t see her anywhere. I did discover that the electric fence was broken and needed a repair. Did she get out? Had she broken the wire? I knew that if she had gotten out she would have headed over to the other goat yard where her ma lives. I hadn’t seen her at all. So I kept looking and calling.

I finally went over to where the other two girls about her age were laying and napping after their dinner. Indy Girl and Punkin…"Have you seen Buttons?" They looked over toward the big barrel to the left as to say…"Indeed we have." I turned and looked inside the barrel near them…and there she was taking an afternoon siesta…"Buttons…there you are, I said!" She jumped and bolted out of her sleep and then the barrel…and ran looking for her dinner…Sorry little girl the other goats have already cleaned up the supper dishes. Guess this cloudy afternoon was just a good time for little goat naps.

I fixed the fence and headed on to the house to fix our supper too. The rain still hasn’t begun…maybe it will come a bit later…but anyway. Everyone’s fed and accounted for…

And so go the adventures for today in the goat yard.

     The rains are pouring down outside and yet I sit and dream about playing in the soil. Knowing that spring is just around the corner, I am giddy with excitement. I can’t wait to smell the earth freshly tilled as we mix in the compost in the garden, or to feel the crumbly soil against my fingertips as I plant seedling in the ground in anticipation of tasty summer treats.

     Did I always feel this way? Hum…moment of honesty. I can remember shelling butter beans all summer. It was one way out of having to pick the long rows in my daddy’s garden. But he would bring them in five-gallon buckets at a time. Boy could he pick that garden! You’d almost get the butter beans shelled and then he’d come in with peas. Your fingers would just ache. Then he’d come in with green beans to snap, and tomatoes to peel and can. It was a family affair, my mom, grandma, sister, and I would shell, shell, and shell.

     I’m never gardening when I grow up…I’ll just go to the supermarket…but years later here I am dreaming of picking and shelling those things with eager anticipation, even though I’ll admit my fingers still get a little sore from shelling! You’ll find me sitting on the front porch swing shelling away the afternoon.

     The first year we were back on our little farm I told my husband, "Let’s just plant a few things." "It’s too much work for a big garden." Then each year, I say, "Let’s plant a few more of these." Or "We didn’t can enough tomatoes last year." I can just hear my daddy laughing. He had succeeded in making gardener out of me all those years ago! Of course he had a little help, my mom, my grandma, and my grandpas all had a lot to do with it too! Gardening was a family affair at our home. Maybe it was just my Granddaddy’s spirit since this is the old home place, saying, "Go plant the garden!" I had watched him tend his tomatoes many a day, growing one you could make a "one slice" tomato sandwich out of for a quick summer snack!

     There’s nothing quite like red rosy tomatoes, yellow squash, onions, and green zucchini stir-fried in a hot skillet after a long day’s work. You can pick all the ingredients up at your local supermarket…but the taste is still not the same as the luscious bounty from your own home garden or that of a local neighbor willing to share.

     One of my favorite home garden treats is fresh broccoli. The difference in the taste is immeasurable! They are the cooler weather plants that need to be in the soil now to get a harvest before our hot summer Georgia weather sets in. I grabbed a flat in the garden department yesterday to plant as soon as the rain lets up. I had started some seeds on my own, but they were taking too long, and I was afraid we wouldn’t get to taste the flavor of this delicious vegetable if I waited too much longer. Most of the other plants have to wait until after the last frost.

      The flavor of the fresh vegetables is so much stronger. The time it takes from getting from field to supermarket, along with over used soil in huge corporate farming takes the taste from the massed produced produce. Produce is often picked a little early to help it in the transport process, thus reducing the flavor and nutritional value of the food.

     So are you dreaming of tilling in the soil this spring too. You can start with a small garden bed and then add to it as you become hooked with the delicious flavor of your home grown food. There are many ideas out there for the small food gardener. You can make raised beds, or take a small corner of your yard for some square foot gardening. There are many "Self Help" gardening books on the market to help you get started, as well as numerous gardening sites on the internet for reference.

     Another good way to break into the food gardening hobby is to partner with another more experienced gardener. Their tried and true expertise in your growing zone, soil type, and favorite plants can nurture you along the way as you get started. The fancier, hip term, for this today is "garden coaches". Some people charge a fee, others just love to share the joy of gardening with another. Some people like to share a garden, just to have a partner help with the "CHORES" of gardening…weeding, picking, and processing the food for the table. It’s a lot easier when you have some one to talk to as you work, along with plenty of vegetables to share. Although, some people just enjoy peace and solitude in the garden.

     Your local county extension office can also be a valuable resource to you as a gardener. Gardening classes, canning classes, and soil tests to see what your soil needs to assure growing great vegetables are just some of the resources they can provide.

     So are you ready to jump into growing your own vegetables? Look at your space, pick a sunny location with a water source nearby. Make your plan…either by building your own raised bed or by getting a neighbor with a tiller to till up the spot for you. Investigate things like soaker-hoses to help conserve water use, and mulch to help keep the water to the plants as well as to cut down on weeds. Remember, you want to wait until after your area’s predicted last frost to plant. And boy is it hard to wait! You can talk to a gardener friend and find out when they are planting, consult the farmer’s almanac, listen to the weatherman, or just plant on "Good Friday", because it usually runs about the same time.

      If you’ve never had your own garden before, start small with a few plants from the local garden department. Make sure to have a couple of tomato plants in the mix, a bell pepper plant or two, and maybe some fresh onions. If you feel real adventurous and love okra…then plant a row. It loves the red clay and hot sunshine here in Harris County. A few squash plants are easy to start from seeds too. Start small and add to it a little more the next year not to be over whelmed.

      With high food prices at the supermarket, and poorer nutrition value of the foods it only makes sense to have at least a small family garden to provide some of the produce for your family. You also know that it is safe to eat and free from contaminates. You know whether or not you used chemicals or pesticides on your own produce. And your family can learn valuable lessons in responsibility helping care for the garden.

        Remember start small…you don’t want to be leaving bags of zucchini on your neighbors porches at night because you had so much fun planting the little seeds and seeing them sprout! Of course in these economic times, they might be appreciative!