Spring...Rebirth, New Birth!

For me, spring means rebirth, new birth, and revitalization. This is no more apparent than in the creation of nature's babies.

We have started the process of creating this year's crop of blueberries. The flowering season is practically over and miniscule green blueberries and small leaves abound in the fields alongside the bees, butterflies and birds.

This spring, the Farmer Mac's family has expanded in other ways. We are flush with babies of the feathered variety, though earlier in the spring our mama goat gave birth to twins and they are healthy and growing.

One of our Mallard ducks hatched out a flock of ducklings this afternoon. Another mother hatched some out on Tuesday. We think there are a dozen additions today, but they move so fast it's hard to tell exactly. From the Tuesay batch, I actually saw 7, but I confess I can't be sure this was the original number. We are now down to 4 as the snapping turtles and hawks consider them delicacies.

Hopefully we'll have a new crop of fledglings for us all to dodge during blueberry season!

Chicks arrived yesterday! We have a dozen Ameraucana chicks that are now three weeks old. This breed lays blue and green eggs, or what are known as Easter eggs. We're still looking for a permanent chicken coop for them, but as they are so tiny right now, there is no immediate rush.

The chicks are living in the small enclosure in the pond fence that we used for the kids when they were born. (And by kids, I mean the baby goats, not our lively children who act like them!)

Pygmy kids were born in February, a male and a female. One has tan legs and the other gray. They are still small enough to crawl under the gate which the male takes delight in doing on a daily basis.

Maali used to do this in reverse, crawling under to get into the pond area rather than to get out. I remember when the first u-pick customer couple said they saw her doing this, I had a hard time seeing how she could fit under it, but I firmly believed the fear and concern that radiated from them and took heed and moved the gate down a couple of inches.