Fun in the barn

After spending some time playing in the snow, the family decided to go hang out in the barn and see how everyone was doing!

Dustin and our new ramb - Elvis

 

I love this little girl-love that face!

Cheese!  About two seconds after this was taken, it was discovered that she pooped on my glove and Dustin's new coat I was wearing! The joys of farm life!
 

 

Happy Valentines Day From Me to Ewe!

How is a girl with a sick husband and two sick girls at home supposed to celebrate Valentines day? Why in the barn of course!
Here are some pictures of the set of triplets that were born on Monday.

Olivia joined me in the barn for awhile-she loved holding onto this little guy!

Check out that lamb that was born Christmas Eve day! So big already!

It took me a lot of tries, but I finally got a picture of all three boys with their Mama!


 

First lambs of 2013

Love this lamb born today with one black ear! Another set of twins!

Surprise

I had to share the following photos! On Christmas Eve day when Dustin went to do chores he got a suprise! One of the ewes had twin ewe lambs!  We were very excited, although we didn't expect any lambs for at least another two weeks! See, before we sold "Rambo" we put him in with the ewes for two weeks, not really expecting "anything" but it looks like he did his thing!



The following photo shows the "rouge hen" that has taken to living with the lambs.  Even after trying to relocate her to the hen house, she keeps going down to the barn to mingle with the ewes!


The following photo I took in November, I came home from work one day to literally find the lambs grazing in my front lawn! Aparently my husband and hired man thought this would be a GREAT use of grass! Thanks guys!

Harvest 2012

We are off and going!  We officially started harvest 2012 last Thursday, September 20th.  So far, Dustin is "optimistic" about the harvest, as early yields are higher than he anticipated.  Here's hoping for a bountiful and safe harvest!

Having the two new bins is allowing our harvest to speed right along as we are no longer waiting for trucks!

The girls getting ready to go for a ride after bringing the men dinner.

Catching on the run

Cheese!

Finally!

Johnson family farms is proud to present the newest additions to our flock. 2 ewe lambs born early this morning!

Olivia checking the girls out

Welcome!

So darn cute

All 3 girls are doing great

Livi thinks this ewe will lamb next...we shall see

Ready for SPRING

We are ready for spring at Johnson Family Farms!

Olivia feeding one of the ewe's who we hope lambs soon!

Daddy brought in one of our "foster chicks" for the girls to look at.

We will hopefully have our own chicks in a month or two, but for now we are housing about 33 babies for a friend.

Family fun!

The girls and I headed out to take Dustin a milk shake after school!  We then rode a few rounds, went and picked up a pizza and had a corn field picnic! What a great end to a crazy week!

Rayna drank half of a vanilla milk shake!

Our corn field pizza picnic!

Watching them unload!

Livi riding on the floor of the combine

Rayna and I sitting on the floor of the combine while Olivia rode in the buddy seat

Start of harvest 2011

It has officially begun!  Here's to a safe and bountiful harvest!

Dustin rolling through the first field of corn.

Livi and Grandpa Darwin waiting to ride in the combine!

Family Pictures

It has been a crazy few months with family vacations and school starting!  We were lucky enough to squeeze in some family pictures while the corn was still green!  My friend Suzie did a wonderful job.  All photos are by: Suzie Bell Photography and Design

Gambling

I have always thought of farming as legalized gambling!   There is so much risk in it.  Early this morning we had a terrible storm with lots of wind.  As you can see in the last photo-lots of our neighbors had damage to their crops.  Remarkably, we were pretty lucky and with the exception of a few end rows, our damage was pretty minimal.  Dustin estimates approximately 2% of his crop was damaged. We really needed the rain, but the wind did so much damage around here.  It literally made me sick to my stomach to drive by some of these fields today.  Olivia said, "Mom-why's that corn laying down"  and when I told her that the wind had pushed it down, she suggested we get out and help that farmer by pushing it back up with her strong muscles!  If only it were that easy! We will count our blessings today, and hope for no more wind!

Our field, just south of our home farm

Olivia and Rayna checking out the corn!

NOT OUR FIELD=a neighbor's who's corn is all laying down

Bailing Oats

After finishing our second cutting of hay, Dustin was hard a work baling our oats this week.  Because he couldn't find anyone to bale for him, he was fortunate to be able to rent a John Deere 568 Baler from Maloney's to get the oats baled.

One bale done!

Finishing up baling at the home farm.

Check out that nice green machine!

MILES Parade

We rode in the Thresher's Day parade on Friday.  We got to ride a very nice John Deere Gator XUV from Maloney Equipment in Fulton, IL  (This is where Dustin's dad, a.k.a. Grandpa Darwin-works).  Since Olivia is on vacation with the Penaluna's this weekend, Verayna really enjoyed having the spotlight all to herself!  She loved waiving to all the people as we drove past.

Waiting for the parade to start, Daddy's letting me drive.

Smile Daddy!