It's been absolute chaos around here the last few weeks.
The ewes are lambing, hay is being made, crops are being planted, and every morning seems to start with a list that's already too long before breakfast.
But why stop there?
A few weeks ago I was heading to one of our farms when I noticed something sitting at the end of a driveway. It was an old John Deere Power Wheels Gator. The poor thing looked like it had been through a war. The hood was faded, cracked, and hanging on by a thread. Parts were missing. Tires were wore. It had clearly reached the stage of life where its owners had decided its next stop was probably the dump.
I was in a hurry and drove right by.
But I couldn't stop thinking about it.
You see, we haven't talked much about it here, but there seems to be a new little person becoming part of life around Ewing Family Farm these days.
Our daughter Tess's stepdaughter, Jersey, is four years old and full of life.
She loves helping with the lambs. She loves riding in tractors. She asks questions about absolutely everything. And like most four-year-olds, she somehow has enough energy to power a small town.
So when I saw that old Gator, I started thinking.
Later that day I happened to be driving by again and got stopped for a school bus, believe it or not, right in front of the Gator! Fate it was. A young fellow got off and headed down the driveway. I rolled down the window.
"Hey, are you getting rid of that thing?"
"Yup," he replied.
A minute later I was pulled into the driveway inspecting what might generously be described as a project.
It was rough.
I called Anne expecting her to tell me we already had enough unfinished projects around here.
Instead she was immediately excited.
"Bring it home."
Well, that was all the encouragement I needed.
Back at the farm we started taking stock. The motors still worked. That was about the end of the good news.
New batteries, switches, wiring connectors, parts, and even a new horn were ordered. Anne got busy repairing plastic, rebuilding the hood with zip ties, and recreating decals. Between her creativity and determination and my stubborn refusal to quit on anything with wires, we slowly brought it back to life.
Now, were we busy?
Absolutely.
Probably too busy.
But sometimes there's a difference between being busy and making time for something that matters.
The day finally came when the Gator was ready.
Jersey climbed in, hit the pedal, and absolutely loved it.
She got right to work helping with chores, driving around the yard, and generally keeping everyone entertained.
At one point she decided the Gator should be able to transport lambs.
Nobody gave her that idea.
She simply went and found a lamb and loaded it into the back herself.
Sometimes I get so busy worrying about crops, hay, tractors, sheep, and all the other things that need doing around here, I forget what the point of it all is.
The point is family.
And I do well to remember that as often as I can.
Lately, a little four-year-old girl named Jersey has been helping me do exactly that.
Farmer Rod
