Change

Change is always happening. One of my husband’s favorite says is, “If you are not moving forward, you are moving backwards.” The year 2023 was full of changes. First major change was having the grandchildren live with us for four months. Arriving at the same time as the sheep show we faced many challenges and a sudden change to our daily lives.

Change is not always fast, sometimes change occurs slowly. The past three years I have been gradually changing from raising market lambs to raising breeding or seed stock with my sheep farm. This gradual change allowed me to maintain an income and have the sheep pay for the change. Obtaining good registered stock to produce quality breeding stock is expensive. I was able to make the change without emptying out my bank account. Change is still necessary. I want to improve the quality of my breeding stock, take my genetics a step better.

Along with improving my quality of sheep produced, I want to implement more regenerative farming. I am educating myself in planting crops that would improve the quality of my soil as well as provide forage for sheep during dry periods. This fall and winter, the winter wheat that was planted has provided forage for the sheep and removed the necessity of feeding hay, which is an expense.

By lowering the expense of feeding, I gain in profit of my sheep farm. A very important step as we are needing more income from the sheep since my husband was is not working at this time and our monthly income is drastically less.

There are thoughts and ideas on how to increase our income using the farm. Researching and taking thoughts to pencil and paper. Making changes and decisions with the sheep farm is not done without thought and figuring out the expense before implementing the change.

I have seen people make a decision without a plan or figuring the cost only to be stopped in the middle by lack of funds to continue with the change. Taking time to figure the expense of the change or addition, before starting can save time, money and a lot of stress for the sheep farmer.

Not all changes are by design. My husband being laid off from work was not in our plans. The decrease in income created a change in our budget and made the budget much tighter than before. We do not have room to make a mistake at this time. Careful planning is necessary to bring for the profit we need to keep our sheep farm going forward with our plans. Since my husband is not working a job, he has been working more with me and the sheep. A change we both are enjoying.

Not all change is bad. Life’s journey is always bringing about change. Although I do not care for unexpected change, I will work with the change, adjusting plans and continue to move forwards.

Hope your next year brings you prosperity and positive changes in your life and in your farming.

Granny