Category: Livestock

business plans, Entrepreneurship, Facing Fears, Farm, Livestock, Risk, Women in Agriculture

Risk vs. Reward

rosehartschuh

I came across a quote this week that resonated with me:

Truth bomb.

A couple of years ago, Greg and I accidentally became sheep farmers. Yes, accidentally. (Heaven knows very few would become sheep farmers on purpose!) Our aging, bachelor neighbor was going to be spending the winter in the nursing home. He needed someone to care for his small flock of sheep while he rehabilitated. I volunteered, knowing it would be a great project for the boys and me. Well, it turns out, the shepherd enjoyed the company of his new friends in the nursing home more than the sheep at home, and he chose to live out his days there. Greg and I were now the owners of a flock of sheep.

Somewhere along the way, we decided that if we were going to care for 10 sheep, we might as well have 80. We began creating a business plan and budget for a larger sheep enterprise, which would require larger and more efficient facilities. As we sorted through numbers and projections, it was easy to see the risks involved in taking on something new. To do the project how we really wanted to do it, a loan would be required, and when there is a repayment requirement on the table, more careful consideration is required. That brings up the question: what is your comfort with risk?

I will say, Greg and I both have a high tolerance for risk… Calculated risk, that is. Luckily, as we worked through our plans, we realized there were also rewards to be attained. The rewards were not just financial but also intangible: things like creating opportunities for our children and creating our own enterprise separate from the family farm.

With any decision, there are hazards you may encounter, but there are also great peaks to reach. Each person’s tolerance for risk is different, but never overlook the rewards you may attain. After all, with the greatest risk comes the greatest rewards.

So, how are those sheep doing? This week, thanks to a great builder and concrete contractor and many long hours by Greg and me, we completed our barn and moved the flock from our elderly neighbor’s house to our farm. No longer accidental, we are fully intentional sheep farmers.

Family, Farm, Livestock, Parenting

Raising critters and kids

rosehartschuh

The boys sit at the kitchen counter finishing their breakfast. Outside, the snow gently falls, joining an already white winter-landscape. I begin pulling out the barn clothes: it’s time to pile on the layers and head outside.

We open the outside door to be greeted by a crisp morning breeze. It’s one of those days where the cool air takes your breath away. It takes longer than normal to trudge through the snowdrifts to make it to the barn. Cries of, “Mama, I’m cold!” fade away as we push open the door to check the stock. Those cries are replaced with excited expressions of, “Look! We have more lambs!”

My husband and I both grew up around livestock. Some of our fondest memories revolve around county fair experiences. We credit who we are today with our involvement in 4-H and FFA. We want our boys to develop life skills and leadership by “learning to do.”

Speaking of our boys: they’re four. Yes, plural: “boys.” Yes, they’re both four. Yes, they’re twins. No, I don’t know how I do it. Yes to all the clichés: double trouble, twice the fun, what one doesn’t think of, another one does. No, I could not imagine our life any other way.

IMG_20180118_221757104.jpgThe sheep are a new thing for us. “Learning to do,” right? We jumped in with two feet, purchasing 15 bred ewes late last fall. Purchasing the ewes was an easy decision. We know we don’t have to wait for 4-H for our boys to start developing a work ethic. They’re working on it now, each day as they accompany us to the barn. We’re learning as we go, and we couldn’t be more thankful for those experienced pros answering our countless questions throughout the lambing season.IMG_20180121_145218862

And, wouldn’t you know, it seems like we’re learning as much from two four year-olds as we are from those seasoned shepherds? The four year-olds see everything from a fresh perspective and have a happy-go-lucky attitude that makes my heart melt. My toes may freeze in the sub-zero weather, but they remind me that it’s so much warmer in the barn than outside. A bottle baby may frustrate me, but they tell me that they’re so happy they get to take care of him. I may curse the frozen water under my breath, but they’re busy carrying hay one handful at a time. I stop and pause, realizing how grateful we are to have this calm barn to teach everlasting lessons that will pay off in a crazy world.

The chores are done, and we make our way back to the house. They talk me into hot chocolate as a treat for their hard work. As we sip the warm goodness, I tell them how they are such big helpers and their faces light up with pride. In my mind, I know I could take care of the animals quicker on my own, but in my heart, I know we’re not just raising lambs: we’re raising quality kids, too.