Tuesday, May 7, 2013

First and Last.....Beginnings and Ends

I find myself, as a human, being very interested in "First" and "Last".

The first pitch of the season, a child's first haircut, the first day of school, all the way through to a last second shot, who finished last, and a persons last breath are just some of the many things we as a society seem to mark our lives with.

Maybe this interest is a reflection/mark of my creator God who said, "I am the first and the last" (refering to Himself) since we are made in His image. Revelation 22:13 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+22:13&version=NIV

Which brings me to my farm.

I farrowed (birthed) the last sow on Sunday. Actually, I did nothing but stand and watch. But still it was the last birth event on my farm for the forseeable future. It is the end of a dream that I have chased since 1998.
Sam helped me pour the cement pad for the feed bins


Not a bad effort to finish with


 I have always thought that if I could manage and care for pigs better than the average person I would have a chance to make a living and feed my family.While national statistics confirm that I have been able to produce pigs better than most, life, economics, and many other things have caused me to change course.

Right now, I am experiencing a long list of lasts. The last farrowing, the last feed order, the last visit by the vet, and on and on. By the end of May all these "lasts" will be in history.

In June I start a long list of "First" as I prepare for the arrival of the first pigs born at the Fair Oaks Pig Adventure. The first pen installed, the first waterer, the first test of the ventilation, will all be exciting times.

In case you are worried about my son, Sam, who was with me in '98 when I began chasing this dream, and in '01 when the cement for the farrowing (birthing) barn was poured. You can follow his adventures on his blog http://ohiofarmkid.blogspot.com/. He is now on the ground floor, literally, at the Fair Oaks Pig Adventure.

So, for now, I experience many "lasts" but the future is full of "First".

Thanks for thinking with me.