Procrastination Equals Cost Inflation

 Forgive me dear readers, it has been 8 weeks since my last article and I know that I’m going to have to do penance to catch everyone up on what has been happening around the compound, ‘ahem the farm.

Surprisingly, the frigid temperatures that we all faced a few weeks ago didn’t do much damage at all. Not going to lie, it was a struggle to get last minute heaters plugged in, only to find out that two of the four that I had, had gone on the fritz and were not working. 

This necessitated needing to move one of the bantam chicken flocks in with one of the others - resulting in a wonderful new situation as there are now only three flocks to work with instead of four. 

The pot belly piggies; Chester and Spike, caused me the most concern as I wasn’t sure how they would handle the extreme temperatures. I knew they needed several bales of straw, but when one waits until the last minute to get supplies before a big event like that - one has to realize that resources will be limited and limited they were. 

When I went to purchase said two bales of straw at my usual location inside a barn where they have the money box on an honor system, they were, no surprise, out. Almost in frustrated tears and ready to finally succumb to my reservation at bringing farm animals into the house, as I drove away from the site I noticed a hay wagon filled with a dwindling amount of straw bales and a pickup truck nearby with, who I presumed was, the straw farmer inside. 

Talk about begging and pleading, I walked up to the truck and asked the man inside if those bales on the wagon were for sale. He nodded and gave me the price. It seemed to be a bit more than usual, but at that particular moment I would have just about paid any price for straw. I paid the man and didn’t even scoff when it turned out I didn’t have change and ended up giving him three extra dollars. 

Lesson learned for me - procrastination equals cost inflation.

I must have looked like a crazed woman as I then heaved myself up on the wagon, grabbed two bales, leapt down and crammed them into my Honda FIT. My only reservation being that I hoped that the bales weren’t harboring some sort of rodent that had sought shelter in them. 

The bales were brought to the pigs and they spent several days inside the barn, snuggly in their straw pile bed. Of course, they didn’t get bored as I still had some fall pumpkins to keep their minds, and their mouths, busy.

We’re now on the downhill trek towards Spring and I pray no more extreme temperatures, but I was reminded of a valuable lesson that day - don’t ever wait until the last minute to do something critical, more effort and resources are spent that could have been used elsewhere. 

Next year when the hint of winter begins in the fall you’d best believe I’ll be purchasing enough straw bales to get me through the winter and then some. 

Perhaps I’ll borrow a truck though just in case something decides to tag along. 

Until next time…