Little Boys and Dirt
With Christmas around the corner, our school year can take a needed family break. The joys of homeschooling and living on the ranch! We are always expanding our knowledge whether it be changing oil on vehicles/tractors, cleaning out the barn/chicken coop, planting our garden or saving a tiny bird that fell out of its nest. Learning and growing is a continual process.
Our oldest son (almost 7) has been very interested in doing exactly what his dad does from the beginning of being a farm kid. He is always helping and involved, grasping and absorbing everything. He is a great gate getter and over all a much needed extra set of hands on our ranch. He watered the sheep and cows by himself the other day and was a huge asset to Lance and I helping with corralling sheep to be worked. Our middle son (4 1/2) loves to be involved and a part of the activities. The other morning after bottle feeding the boys were being silly with the calves. They were running together, I love hearing the giggles and moos as they both went running by, this is gym class on the ranch. Our youngest (2), she loves to tag along in her stroller getting lamb and calf kisses! The boys know where to stand and what is the “safe place” around a cow.
The boys are also learning so much about gardening this year. I am still learning the ins and outs of gardening and am trying my best, not coming from a green thumb family! The wind has been fierce here the last few days but the boys have been huge helpers. They have helped water the garden, putting bottomless pails around the tomato plants to protect them from the wind and put up the windbreak fence to protect the growing tomatoes. If the boys are not working in the garden, they are playing in the sandbox “building” ditches and approaches for their diggers and cultivators.
This year I planted tomatoes, squash, cantaloupe, yellow zucchini, spinach, lettuce, carrots, yellow pole beans and sugar snap peas. Planting this year all on my own, I started small and can always grow it bigger. I am excited to have fresh produce again. What is your favorite garden produce?
A few months ago we were feeding the bottle calves in the pole barn, our oldest found a tiny bird that had fallen from the nest. Both of the boys were concerned that it would get stepped on by a calf. They were guarding it and standing over it while I grabbed the ladder. I scooped it up with a ball cap that was in the stroller, Lance climbed up and put it back with the rest of the chicks. He said there were five other chicks in that nest. The boys were glad the little bird wasn’t harmed and was back safely where it belonged.
Thinking back on what life would be like back in Minnesota, although we miss my family I am very grateful for the time and experiences we get to all have together here on the family ranch. The boys are learning so much on a daily basis without even realizing it. Helping out is just something we do around here. It is a way of life on the ranch. When night time falls, we thank both boys and our daughter for all their help and hard work, say prayer and constantly remind them that worker men wash all the dirt off their faces at night, to gear up for another fun day ahead.
We are all children of God. A good friend once told me, “there is no better life than farming to understand this. We depend on God for rain, you are seeing his creation up close when caring for your sheep, chickens and cows.” Thank you for lending an ear to my article! For more stories you can find us on Facebook at: MyrvikFamilyFarms or myrvikfarms@gmail.com.
