Sometimes Farming Is Just a Walk in the Woods

This time of year, I feel like I am treading water, just trying to keep the animals happy and the farm running. Both of my professions - farming and teaching - get pretty intense in June. Something's got to give: right now it's my garden, which is, so far, parsley, two basil plants, the garlic I planted in the fall, and a whole lot of zinnias I scored at my school's plant sale. And don't even ask me when I last cleaned the house.

Sometimes, though, a farm chore leads me into a moment of beauty and appreciation, like last week when we were moving the goats' pasture. My job is the better one: while Farmer Fin pulls the sheds with the truck, I lead the goats uphill so they don't get in the way. On this day, I led them into a corner of dappled shade, where a stand of trees survives. I bent down branches so the goats could eat the leaves and received much caprine affection in return. There were also wild strawberries. I had to try to capture the moment in this photo shoot.

Jasmine decided she wanted to be the star of this blog post. Check her out after the jump.

Jasmine is beautiful. The pasture is beautiful. Life is beautiful.