We try to make our Little Farm the most wonderful place for kids – especially our grandkids and their friends. Certainly there are lots of jobs to do here – picking up the eggs from the quails ( 30 of them ) and the chickens ( about 35 of them) every day. And then feeding the Tilapia ( which we raise in our hatchery, catch and eat) and the Koi (who live in our pond and bask in the sun and waterfall which oxygenates their abode). And of course Sunny the Rottweiler who will happily eat every hour – but only is supposed to get fed twice a day- he is always hungry and tends to help himself to the fruit off the trees when we are not looking. He has a serious gas problem and can clear a room faster than any dog we have every had. But we love him still and he is the sweetest most tolerant patient pet and puts up with lots of little hands stroking him, riding him and kissing him on his nose as well as looking under his floppy ears. He ADORES the children.
Then there are the goats – all female – and lots of them -for a little farm that is – 6 who need to be fed, and their pens cleaned out – they LOVE grape leaves so our grapevines are enjoyed as a special treat, as are the roses when we dead-head them – roses are like candy for goats – and they eat the stalks thorns and all. The grandkids love to feed them and see those floppy lips and hear the crunchy noises. Then of course the bees – dressing up in a beesuit is something we are saving for when they are a little older – but they sure do enjoy our honey which has a slight citrus or eucalyptus taste to it. Finally – the fruit and vegetables. So much all the time – tomatoes, peppers, squash of many kinds including white, butternut and zucchini, eggplant, lettuce, onions, garlic, Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, white cabbage and of course every kind of herb imaginable. Then the fruit – quinces to make membrillo ( quince paste delicious with goat cheese), Ceylon Gooseberries, Cape Gooseberries, and Surinam Cherries, Cherries of the Rio grande – the list goes on and on. And the kids pick and taste it all – then help me make jams and relishes and ratatouille and so on. Its a wonderful life in the middle of a very big city. How blessed are we!
Then it’s time to jump into the swimming pool to cool off from the heat of working so hard – Jonah likes to have ‘breaks’ – Jack will just keep going – he is a ball of energy. Then dry off in the sun – and if you are a little boy – run naked around the grass while your swim suit is drying off – then its snack time – generally fresh corn from the small corn field with fresh cherry tomatoes and broccoli florets and kale chopped roughly broiled at 350 degrees sprinkled with olive oil and salt – along with hard boiled quail eggs and fresh Challah Bread which I make weekly. A very very good life!
Here I am with Jack, Gabriel and Noah ( while Jonah was off somewhere with my husband). Such joy….as you can see from my face….
And here is Farmer Clive with a baby goat – aren’t they cute?
