Doug Jessiman is a classic Vermonter; he says almost nothing and does good and honest work every time. He is the owner of A&K Agricultural services, and I ask him to come to Bedlam Farm to spread lime over the pastures.

Lime balances the PH in grass and helps the soil absorb the nutrients it needs to grow. This is the perfect time to do it. Doug also suggested spreading some fertilizer over the soil; we just need to keep the animals away from it until the next rain (coming tonight.)

Ever since we moved into this farm, we’ve had grazing animals. I love caring for the farm; it is in so many ways my mother. The farm takes care of me, and I take care of it.

Doug comes in his giant truck, and Maria and I run around opening and closing gates behind him to keep the animals away. This time of year, the animals smell the fresh grass in the outer pastures just beginning to come up and try to get to it.

We need for it to grow up a bit first. The liming of the soil means it will stay healthy and keep our animals in good fresh food. We have good hay, but the grass is the best thing for them. (Speaking of which, I need to order my hay for winter shortly.)

When the donkeys hear his truck, they head for the Pole Barn and stay away.

It took Doug about 20 minutes to do our four pastures, and with the fertilizer, it will cost around $450. It is worth every penny.

In a few weeks, we’ll stop feeding hay, and the donkeys and sheep will eat fresh grass, good for them, easy on us (we can sleep late without all that braying and baaaahing for food.)

I love the feeling on a farm when we are ready for the seasons; the two big ones to worry about are summer and winter. We are all set for summer now, and in a few weeks, I’ll start thinking about ordering firewood and fence repairs for the winter.

We’ll also assemble my new raised garden bed, the first garden of my own.

I enjoy working for Doug, a soft-spoken, utterly honest man. At the end of each lime spraying, he takes out some Google map printout of the farm and shows me where he sprayed the lime.

No need, I always say, I trust you, send me a bill.