What "vacation" from the farm looks like

It's really hard to get away when you are raising animals and caring for acres of land.

This past weekend my husband and I went up to work on our cabin in Michigan.  We were only gone for a few days but leaving for any stretch of time requires both preparations and a recovery period when we return.

Before we left we had to stock up the feeders, fill the waterers, lay down fresh bedding and straw, put some food and water supply down by the duck house, empty out the fridge to make room for lots of eggs, and write out and go over all the plans with the neighbors, who would be watching the birds for us.

We decided for this trip just to leave the ducks in their pen the whole time.  We thought trying to gather up the ducks might put our generous neighbors over the edge.  We can't have that!  We need them!

So, we finally got everything arranged.  I watered my garden and checked on a few plants.  We packed up the suitcase and the car and we were off.  We had a very productive work weekend up north.  It wasn't at all relaxing, but at least we got a lot done.

The night we got back, the chores began again.

We had nearly 200 eggs to wash.  Since we wash all our eggs by hand, with lukewarm water and a scrubber pad, this alone was a loooooooooooong process.

I had almost every surface in the kitchen covered with eggs drying on tea towels.

While the eggs air-dried, I went back outside to check on things in the coop.  The feeders and waterers needed filling again.  Cupcake's baby pool needed a scrub down.  The bedding needed refreshing.  There were more eggs to be collected.  The food and water by the duck house needed to be put away....

Having a farm, even a small one, is real work.  It's work I enjoy, though, and that makes the difference.  People ask me: How do you work full time and do everything you do at home??  My response is: Well, I have to work my job and I love to do the farm stuff so I make time and try to find the energy for it.  I won't lie; sometimes it's tough, but it's worth the effort to make the life we want for ourselves.