Over the past 25 years I have raised more bottle or bucket fed animals than I even know how to count. A few were orphans, many were dropped off by busy farmers, some we bought and the rest were calves from our own cows that we separated to hand raise. I have lost very few but some of those took much more time and energy than any practical person would ever do. Many of those long exhausting hours would have been unnecessary if I had known then what I do now. But life is about the journey not the arrival. My journey is ever ongoing and I will continue to waste time and energy in my struggle to learn and grow. I am okay with that kind of life. It is full.

Recently, while visiting family, my father-in-law was telling some stories on his sons and grandsons. Pausing to reflect, he went on to tell me how healthy it is for children to play outdoors and how it prepares them for adulthood. Climbing trees, building a fort in the woods, making a dam in the creek, swinging out on a grapevine, digging out crawdads, picking wild fruit, the list is endless. When out on any one of these adventures, much energy can be spent, fatigue, hunger and thirst all forgotten. The stamina built by children at play is not wasted when they transition to adulthood.

Twice a week we are going to be offering you a different page from SFJ’s Farm Animal Coloring Book. These pages may be printed for your children to work on right there at your farm kitchen table while you folks work on the field and garden planning for next year. If you should want one […]