Sweet Anticipation

Sitting at this moment between seasons, we ponder the year behind, while sweetly anticipating the one ahead.

The year behind was marked by developing our new kitchen and adding Milford and Findlay markets to our venues. The year ahead will be marked by completing certification of the kitchen, exploring possibility of shipping prepared foods, and the usual rhythms of birth, growth, and harvest. Implicit in all of this is an ongoing dose of humility, as we step forward, make mistakes, learn, and relearn.

We are feeling humble at this moment, as a number of lambs have arrived two months early, as in the picture below. This is because we tried something different last May, which failed somewhat. That was to "band" the males at birth as they arrive individually, rather than a month later, as a group. It is more efficient to do the former, but the testicles of newborns can be hard to find. If you miss one, a high price can be paid. Ram lambs become sexually mature in 90 days, and will start breeding if able. One stray testicle can throw off the breeding and birthing schedule for many ewes and lambs. As it has.

That experiment failed, but failure is a part of success. We therefore are succeeding, but only with humility, as lessons learned can be painful. So, we are reminded in anticipation of the year ahead to assume we know less than more.

Susan prepared the meal below in recent celebration of friendship: braised lamb shanks, french beans, polenta cakes sauteed in butter, turnips and chard, baked apples, and goats-cheese quiche with a salad. Dessert was cherry "clafoutis". We groaned with pleasure that evening.

In sweet anticipation of the year ahead, we remain humbly yours.