Who does the heavy lifting around here in the winter?

Not me I’m afraid.

Right now, a typical day for me is to get up at 5, read my Bible, check email, shower, shave, eat breakfast, get dressed and head off to work at 6:15.  I do my job sitting at a desk in a climate-controlled environment.  I’ll read the book du jour over my lunch, work a few more hours and arrive home again at around 6:15 PM.  Then I spend the evening reading to and playing with the kids and discussing what happened on the farm that day.  Once the kids are in bed, I may have to go outside in the dark and cold to get a new toilet bucket, tomorrow’s supply of firewood or some other chore but mostly I just park my tookus on the couch with a book in hand until bedtime.  I go days without seeing any animals.  Keep in mind, this is the winter routine, not the spring, summer or fall routine.  There is no tookus on the couch ten months of the year.

Who does the heavy lifting on the farm in the winter?

Not me.

My wife wakes up with me each day.  Today we each dared the other to get out of bed first.  She was the first up.  She made two attempts to light the fire in the stove before calling me in to try.  She walked the dog.  Twice.  She grabbed two frozen chickens out of the freezer and packed my cooler with the eggs and chickens for today’s orders.  Most of the time she cooks breakfast while I’m in the shower though today she didn’t.  We pray and kiss then she sends me into the cold, cruel world.  Off I go, to be the family breadwinner.  Making money in the city, working hard for my family.

Somehow, while I’m gone the cows get milked, the pigs, chickens, ducks, goats and rabbits get fed and watered (not an easy feat when the high temperature is below freezing).  The kids are dressed, fed and educated.  Phones get answered, letters and packages get sent, dishes get washed, laundry gets folded, blog posts get written, eggs get collected and supper lands on the table just in time.

During growing season I’m normally outside for a couple of hours before work and a couple of hours after the kids go to bed.  There is just a lot of work to do.  This time of year, on weeknights I try to chill out making the most of my study time.

Who does the heavy lifting on the farm in the winter?

Not me.  Summer may be a different story but my wife shoulders the burden all winter.  This is no knock against my children who also help make things go around here but if not for my wife there would be no farm…just land and a house.