2015 Farm Goals.
I'll pretend like I didn't spend the better part of two hours writing out a deliciously goal-filled post before my WordPress crashed and took with it every last word. I'll also pretend like I didn't cry out to the heavens in a form of protest after said crash happened. After all, there is far bigger stuff in the world to worry about, right? Right? RIGHT?Sorry. I may still be a little high strung.Deep breath, Shaye.Let's try this again.
In a form of protest to these horrifically short, dark, cold, drab, stupid days, I made my husband sit down with me over a cup of maple-sweetened Earl Grey tea a few days ago and begged him to help me come up with a clean, definitive list of things we'd like to see accomplished on our farm in 2015. After all, 'they say' in order to know where you're going, you need to have a plan!And since these horrifically, short, dark, cold, drab stupid days are really starting to wear on my nerves, I decided now was as good of a time as any to come up with said plan.
I can't handle sitting in the house... staring out the window... just hoping and praying that spring will arrive earlier than anticipated. I can't handle not being able to be outside in my gardens! Petting my sheep! Doing other cool things besides laying in fetal position on the floor asking God why he thought it was a good idea to ever create this 'winter' crap.Girlfriends got stuff to do. And she waits for no one....er, season. Even if her computer crashes after a 2 hour typing session. Can't nobody break her style. Can't nobody hold her down. Oh no. She's got to keep on movin'.Screw you, computer. And screw you, winter. As my old friend would say "Get to the back the line, man."
2015 Farm Goals
Sheep:
1. Fix the boards on the shelter than Hamish insists on 'ramming' down time and time again. Paint the shelter 'Milky Cream'.2. Run a second wire around the large pasture and utilize for spring grazing.3. Successfully butcher Guido and enjoy our first taste of homegrown lamb!4. Successfully welcome Rosie's new lambs! Due to arrive April 4th.
Meat Chickens:
1. Raise 60 more Freedom Rangers for the freezer.2. Mend the shelter, including the netting.3. Plant the pen's floor in grass and water to ensure a nice, fresh supply of greens for the spring chicks.
Pigs:
1. Find a heritage breeder. 2. Raise 3 pigs to slaughter.3. Add a load of wood chips to the pig pen.4. Section off the upper portion of the upper pasture for the pigs to graze and successfully train the pigs to the hot wire. 
Laying Hens:
1. Acquire 10 new spring chicks.2. Add wood chips to the run and fill in any extra holes.3. Mend the hole in the chicken wire.4. Build stairs going down to the coop for easier access.
Bees:
1. Pray the bees survive the winter.2. Harvest our first honey! The 2014 honey is still in full frames that we removed from the hive this fall. They will be fed to the bees throughout the winter and spring as needed. Once we are certain they have enough food to survive, we will harvest the honey from the frames.3. Have a successful honey harvest in the late fall!
Cow:
1. Reside the milking parlor. Add a metal gate across the entrance so she can't get in, except for at milkings.2. Build a second shelter for Sally.3. Successfully welcome Sally's calf onto the farm. Due to arrive May 30th.4. Successfully dry Sally up in February, in preparation for the new calf. 5. Run cattle panels around the entire corral.6. Replace 1x6" boards with round posts.
Garden:
1. Continue to grow all of our produce! Give priority to 'staple' crops, such as potatoes, carrots, beets, onions, cabbage, tomatoes, etc.2. Harvest the first rhubarb and horseradish that was planted last year!3. Establish 3 new perennial flower varieties in the gardens 
Homestead Orchard:
1. Plant a few new fruit trees to replace those lost last year. Per a local orchardist, I will ensure they are full root-stock and not the "semi-dwarf/dwarf crap kind that just want to die."
Pasture Management:
1. Purchase a water pump and 'super' sprinkles. Get the irrigation system SET UP and WORKING on both the upper and lower pastures. Utilize and watch that grass grow green! (We live in a desert. This is easier said than done.)
General Farm
1. Hold a Summer Solstice Party for other local farmers and friends! 2. Buy less.The list may not be exhaustive, but it's a good, solid start for the new year. And while the Lord holds the future of our farm in his hands, I'm thankful we can at least be working towards our ultimate goal.A farm that serves as a hub for the local, organic, sustainable agriculture movement. A farm that educates, motivates, and celebrates! Cheers to a productive and delicious 2015!