City Girl by Birth, Country Girl at Heart!

I love the country! I love everything about being out in the wide open spaces, seeing God's creation at every level. I love the rolling hills, the flat farmland, the tall trees. I also love seeing a variety of farms! I don't know that I could ever live on one, not because I wouldn't want to, but because it's just such hard work and I'm not sure I'm cut out for it. I was raised a city-girl, after all! I have such respect for our country's farmers and am so thankful I'm able to enjoy the fruit of their labor! That being said, I love the times I've been able to spend some time on farms!

A few years ago (back before I was part of blog-world!) I was able to spend a weekend helping some friends on their sheep farm during lambing. It was a blast! I was at this farm for 48 hours and during that time there were over 100 lambs born! This was before I owned a digital camera, but here are some pictures I've scanned.

Then today I had another great farm experience! When I moved to La Crosse, I quickly learned that one of my co-workers lives out in the country, and that even though she and her husband don't farm, her father and brother both have farms that are all in the same valley. She was describing their chicken farms, and especially how they are all automated, and then asked if I'd like to come see sometime! Of course, I jumped at the chance!! Her dad raises organic chickens for meat, and she said that a great time to come would be just after a new bactch arrived -since they're only 1-2 days old then. Her brother has 5000 hens and here's the amazing part... the hens all lay their eggs in a nest that is on a conveyer belt! They are trained that way! No one has to dig around for each egg, but the eggs come to the farmer! I was thinking back to the days when we'd visit Jim and Marilyn's family at Marilyn's parents farm, and it was always someone's job to go get the eggs from the chicken coop. It wasn't the most fun job, because the worry of getting pecked was pretty high! (At least this is what my memory says, Marilyn can correct me if needed!)

Well, I knew I wanted to see the little chicks, and I was extremely curious about the automated egg-laying hens. I was happy when she told me that this was the week the chicks were being delivered, and asked if I could come out today. I jumped at the chance! Here are some pictures from the day, and you'll also see the goats they keep around for weed-control!

It was such a fun day! What a blessing to be out in God's creation, seeing His handiwork in so many different areas! Thank you, my friend, for the fun experience!