There is always something that needs done on this farm. Every day, every week, every month, a slew of tasks and projects both big and small clamor for my attention, each with its share of overall importance. But their importance is variable, and can change depending on what else is going on; inclement weather and animal concerns, for instance, can quickly demand a shift in attention. Last week’s big project might have to get sidelined for something that crops up this week. It is what it is.
As the sole source of manpower I have to constantly consider how best to prioritize my time and energy in order to get done what really needs done, and still preserve my health and sanity. Every day I start a fresh page in my logbook, mapping out the daily tasks and what I want to get done for the day, working toward a weekly goal that is part of a monthly goal…which I never seem to meet, but it is what it is. Aggravating, that’s what it is. But realistic, too. Because stuff happens, and seasons change, and goals must change alongside.
I used to fight the changes, the sliding of deadlines, the unfinished projects supplanted by another more urgent. Now, I don’t have any choice but to accept them. What’s the use of working on something that was supposed to be finished in late summer, when winter is breathing down your neck and half a dozen things need doing before the first hard freeze? Or the next rain event?
It brings me back to the time-tested strategy I learned long ago from my mentors in the military, where priorities can change from minute to minute with jaw-dropping speed. It goes something like this: when faced with conflicting demands on time and attention, always shoot the closest alligator to the boat. It may not be the biggest, meanest alligator. It might not be the one you were worried about yesterday. But it is the closest one, whose jaws and teeth are inches from dragging you into the water and making a meal of you, that deserves the most attention. And a well-placed bullet to the head, if you’re interested in hunting alligator.
So the barn remains unfinished, the garden was left in disarray after a hurried harvest and awaits cleanup, the gutters need cleaned of leaves before freezing rains lock them with ice, the now-muddy road around the pond needs graveled, firewood must be split and stacked on the back porch, and a myriad of stuff needs to be put away for winter. They’re all alligators, but they aren’t the closest one. Just recently, the closest alligator was the coming two-year-old Suffolk colt whose gelding procedure did not go well; infection and swelling required an additional vet visit, medications given daily for 10 days, and a regimen of thrice-a-day walks. This while I hosted visitors, yet another alligator vying for my attention.
As the horses continue to devour their small stack of square hay bales stored in the little barn that come Spring will become the broodmare’s maternity ward, an unfinished Fall project now becomes the closest alligator: erecting the 20′ x 24′ clearspan hay structure in the First Pasture, to fill with 600+ bales of hay. I wanted it done in September, but September was filled with cattle handling and AI, then October focused on barn doors, laying in round hay bales for winter cow feed, and horse training, and November was visitor month. December; I’ll shoot this alligator before December’s done, I will. Before the next one swims up closer. Stay tuned. I’m serious.
Thistledog's Farm 
a few things can get done some of the time but not all things all of the time
Boy is that ever true. Guess I could have saved some words and just written that! 🙂
Heat and eat are your two top priorities…daily. You’ve got to take care of your most important piece of equipment…you, then the animals. If the care giver farmer rancher goes down, it all comes to a screaming halt. Take Sunday’s off; if God could have a day of rest, so can you. Your body is designed for one day of rest each week. Sunday is when I do things that aren’t taxing…spinning, knitting, weaving, felting…something pleasurable after devotions.
Farming is getting up in the morning and deciding which fire needs to be put out first. You’ll never finish the work, but you have to find a place and…stop, knowing you’ve done your best for that day.
I consider visitors temporary help…they could have walked the horse and that would have given them stories to eat out on for the next month.
The voice of experience for sure! Yup, I do take care of myself, that’s definitely top priority. And the visitors most certainly helped with the chores, else they wouldn’t have seen much of me. In fact one of them, my barn-building sister, drove all the way out from Colorado just to help me get a start on this hay shelter. The alligator part of visitors is just how they change the schedule with their presence – all good, of course!
Don’t get me wrong, I take time off. Can’t do it according to a weekly schedule (although Sunday mornings almost always include a trip to town for church fellowship and provisions) but a rain day like today, for instance, gives me some slow time. Just got up from a lovely little nap, in fact… 🙂
Looking forward to seeing what your new hay barn will look like. Oh by the way,I like the snow flakes in your blog, how do you do that?
GM, I plan to post here as the structure goes up, so stay tuned. It’s one of those 15-year-warranteed fabric structures over steel tubing, and I’m placing it out in the middle of my First Pasture where our futurefuturefuture house site will be, so no tree branches will bring about its early demise… I think it will function beautifully and be very useful for the money investment over the course of that many years.
The snowflakes are a feature offered by WordPress – I forget how I signed up for them to come on during winter weather, but I like them too!
I found you!!! Hi Kay, it’s Kim Peschel Conner! while working on my Christmas card list, I was trying to figure out where you might be. Dug up the Bear and Thistle Farm’s card you once gave me, and voila!! You sound busy, but happy! so very glad!! Christmas card will be in the mail to you soon! in the mean time stay warm and take care! KC
Hey there cousin Kim! What a lovely surprise, to find you finding me here. Yay! Bookmark this page so you can keep up, or find me on facebook, I keep a little more updated there… search kay.gschwind (the dot is very important…) Meanwhile Christmas is coming and cards! oh my. Better add that to the list! 🙂
Well this one sure resonates with me. Reading it even gave me a little tight feeling in the gut as it reminded me of the gutters alligator, that I hadn’t remembered. I’m looking at my “to-do” list. It had 95 items on it (96 now).
I’ve never heard the “shooting alligators” metaphor. Back in my office-work days a client once gave me the sage advice: “If you’ve got to eat a frog, eat the frog first. If you’ve got to eat a bunch of frogs, eat the biggest frog first.” Meaning of course to do the task you’re most dreading first. That was good advice and I tried to follow it. If I had 8 phone calls to return I’d go ahead and return the one from the jerk first, just so I didn’t have the thought of it hanging over my head all day. But on the farm that’s not the best way to prioritize. Shooting the closest alligator to the boat makes a lot more sense.
I’ve got broke-down equipment to deal with, an empty woodshed, no deer yet in the freezer, customers wondering what we have available this week–and it’s pouring down rain.
Some alligators, for sure. But I wouldn’t trade it for any other life right now and I’m guessing you wouldn’t either. 🙂
Best wishes on catching up. As we like to say around here, “It’ll all get done. It always does.”
Hope you get caught up soon. I have same lists, same frustrations. Keep your chin up.Spring is coming soon.
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Among the books our friend in Kenya requested is one called “Is that a Fish in Your Ear?” about interpretation and translation, including a bit called “what is language?” The writer rejects that “language has a grammar” in favor of the position that “language is a manual operation” meaning that universally (but not at all in the same manner) when one speaks one uses hands (movements, gestures). What else does one do with hands and mouth? eat (survival) and the writer suggests these two are closely related – in human evolution. The third observation is that when one is performing with hands something that requires concentration (such as threading a needle), frequently one makes motions with one’s mouth / tongue, that sort of thing – which I do observe in myself and in grandchild (born 2007). Those three. As far as (in Africa) the nearest crocodile – my professional “time management” training in the mid-seventies 1970’s not ages – A = important, do it (now!) – B = could do (when you have “extra” time; C = put it in a drawer and close the drawer – if you Never get to it, the world will not come to an end because you didn’t. Many (including my spouse) would probable put into the round file (rubbish bin).
Hi Kay, you have not posted in awhile, hope things are ok and you have been just too busy. I also know that some times you just don’t feel like posting. I get there myself a lot.