I thought Fall and ended up with 4-H.

I do love this time of the year.  The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer.  The mornings are crisp with the bite of Fall.  There is no better time.  I like the subtle (sometimes not so subtle) push of winter coming.  It reminds me to get things done.  Some things just can't be left undone before the snow flies.  Our first load of wood is next to the garage.  I'm sure we'll need another load at least.  We'll also need to get a chainsaw and an axe.  Despite the grumbles about hauling wood I have always enjoyed that Fall task of gathering wood.  We've yet to poke holes in our ceiling or roof yet but we have the hearth laid.  I should finish sealing the grout and tiles tomorrow.  Then we should be able to move the stove inside and work on taking measurements for the pipe.  Little by little we'll get there.

The garden is progressing toward a cool weather garden.  I still have parsley producing along with new lettuce, the carrots, and the parsnips.  I'm storing the potatoes, parsnips, and carrots in the ground.  We'll dig as needed.  I still have beets too that I'll store in situ.  Someday I'll build a small greenhouse with old windows and doors.  First I have to figure out where I want it.  Right now I can't even figure out where I want my clothesline.  I didn't like where it was.  I disliked the location enough that I ended up not using it a good portion of the time.  I need to get it closer to the house and easier to use.

We have lots of projects going all the time.  They are usually prolonged by lack of funding or lack of time.  Like all good projects.  At some point we'll get enough time, money, and motivation to at least get some sort of shelving or something in the garage and basement to make those storage areas work better too.  I'm sure Tom would appreciate not having to dodge a hundred pound bag of wool in order to get to the door.  I know I'll be happy when the stove is out of my way.

Besides indoor projects there are always the outdoor ones too.  All of our gutters leak.  A lot.  Our siding will need replaced before too long as well.  The siding isn't one I look forward to paying for.  I do look forward to some color besides white though.  The house is a very boring white ranch house.  We just did some seeding for the yard today. By "we" I mean Tom and the kids.  I was fixing supper so didn't get in on it too much.  The kids were great help though.  They each got their own seed bags (like farmers did in the old days) and they broadcast the seed by hand all through the yard.

That makes me think about something.  I think Bear will do 4-H next year.  He is old enough to be what is called a Clover Kid.  They are the kids who are younger than 8 years that still want to participate.  They can't qualify for the state fair but they can show at their local county fairs.  They have some pretty cool projects for them.  Bear is also talking about wanting to have goats or something.  He doesn't want to have anything butchered so we'll see what he ends up doing.  May not be much in the way of market animals.  His choice.  The only bummer is that if he doesn't do the market animal he was see a hefty chunk of change at the end of the year when it sells.  I understand not wanting your pet butchered though.  At least fiber and dairy animals wouldn't be sold off every year.  He may decide to do chickens or rabbits too.  I'm excited for him to participate.  Mia too when she gets old enough.  I loved 4-H.  I would have kept doing it except that I aged out at 19.  I think I started at 7 because I know I wasn't old enough to go to the state fair my first year even though I qualified by my placement.

For those that don't know 4-H is an agricultural education program.  Clubs are run through the year and that club's work culminates in the county fair and then the state fair competitions.  You can participate in something like 150 different categories.  Anything that could possibly pertain to farming/ranch/agriculture can be done.  The main focus is to teach the kids leadership skills, record keeping, and time management.  Every project has several requirements that must be met each year.  A record book kept by each kid for their individual project along with the club has its own responsibilities and officers (positions held by the club members not leaders).  Your local extension office is the best place for the information on what is available in your area. 

Okay, I'll get off my 4-H soapbox.  I'd probably have one for FFA too if I had done that for more than one year.  Not sure why I didn't as I always kind of wanted to.  Oh, and FFA is Future Farmers of America.  The four "H"s are your head, heart, hands, and health.  And in case you want to see what the choices for a Nebraska kid are: http://4h.unl.edu/web/4hcurriculum/pickyourproject

I think I'd better try to keep going on some of those projects I have going.