Sunday, January 20, 2013

An unexpected harvester steps up to the plate.... Bountiful Baskets a successful start

Yesterday was a busy eventful day, I am tired just thinking of it.  Maybe it is the tired of a job completed.  Funny Lady couldn't sleep the night before and I spent half the night watching boring TV trying to go back to sleep.

The kids came home from basketball excited to have been out and played with their friends.  They had a sandwiches for lunch and were off on outside adventures.  Well, Booboo and her friend were,  Yogie was sitting playing her Nook, Bug and Poppie were getting ready to harvest the goats.  She stopped playing with her Nook and began to take interest in there preparations.  Bug had his 22/410, she was looking at it with interest.  He asked her if you wanted to shoot a goat.  She said yes.  She has always taken a great interest in all of the parts of animal husbandry.  She loves the birthing, the babies, the feeding and the milking.  She in the past has helped harvest chicken, her little arm up to the arm pit gutting chickens.  Recently she helped with harvesting the rabbits, Booboo did as well but did not really like it, she was okay with it but wouldn't volunteer to be included if she didn't have to.  Yogie was so excited, she got all her cold weather clothes on, helped get the knives and watched as Bug sharpened them up.  She carried out the bowl for the livers and hearts.  Poppie, Bug and she were one there way.  I pulled Poppie aside to have him make sure she took it all well, I asked her if she would be okay doing the shot.  She said she thought so. 

They went outside and soon, Bug had shot the first animal, Yogie watched the process intently.  I watched her from the front window, the worried mom from afar that didn't scare her by worrying right there in front of her.  Soon Bug had the body skinned, gutted and they hung it to season a couple days.  They got the second animal out, Yogie took aim, point blank her brother holding the barrel to the animals head so she was steady.  She took her first shot, she was ecstatic, she even gave a little fist pump.  She had succeeded, I am sure, over great trepidation.  Poppie came in the house a couple minutes later, to tell me all the details.  He had tears in his eyes, I am not sure who was more proud the daughter who succeed or the father who got to share in her success.  She later came in with three bullet casings proud of her accomplishments.  We talked about the sacrifice the animals had given for our sustenance and she prayed to God in thanks for their gift to us.  I think my little girl is quite an accomplished young lady, I find watching her grow one of my greatest joys.

I had to go down to the Masonic Lodge later to meet Lady for our first Bountiful Baskets drop.  We were surprised to have the truck arrive way early, good thing we had gone down early to get our minds in order.  The truck arrived with out our baskets to put the produce in, we made do with grocery bags, doubled, still not enough but better than nothing.  Wonderful volunteers began to arrive shortly thereafter, most were old hats at volunteering, which was a great help, some were new and we welcomed their being with us.  We got it all "basketed" and ready only 5 minutes late, we opened the door and a plethora of people awaited us.  They all had their confirmation numbers, signed on the line and received there baskets.  The VAC had sent us information that the baskets this week should be viewed at prices in the store and not necessarily against previous baskets so we had put it out on our page to prepare people that it might not be a big basket.  The people who picked up there baskets were ecstatic, they were amazed at the amount we got and seemed as a whole to be well pleased.  We had 60 contributors this week, we well probably have many more as soon as word gets out.  I think that, at least in our case, the VAC's worries were unneeded as in our little town we are comparing the produce we get to the produce we can get locally so it was a bounty to us but in some places the baskets are being compared to the market in a large town like Billings, or Salt Lake or Spokane.  Here we are just blessed to be able to get produce on an equal level with any big town.  We had gaffs, and missteps but all seemed to disappear into our memory as the last basket went out the door, the floor swept and hugs all around we were on our way home to enjoy our baskets of plenty.  Once home my girls dived into the fruit, and Lady sent photos of her juicing pack, we hadn't time to get any this time out at the site, maybe next time.  God bless your day, I know he does mine everyday, I am nothing without him...... tomorrow.

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