OFF TO FEED THE CALVES.

OFF TO FEED THE CALVES.

Early one crisp morning in the quiet valley, young Farmer Ben strolled down the dirt path toward the calf shed, balancing two tin milk pails that sloshed gently with every step. The warm scent of fresh milk mingled with the earthy aroma of dew-soaked grass. His trusty straw hat tilted slightly to one side, and a broad grin stretched across his face. He loved this part of the day—where the world felt fresh, and the farm was alive with quiet anticipation.

Inside the shed, the calves were already awake, their curious noses poking through the wooden slats. They mooed eagerly as Ben approached, their tails swishing in excitement. Above them, the resident black cat stretched languidly on the tin roof, its green eyes narrowing in the sunlight. A crow perched on a nearby tree let out a loud caw, as if to announce Ben's arrival.

Beyond the shed, the old red farm truck sat idle near the silos, its bed stacked with bags of feed ready for the afternoon rounds. The windmill creaked softly in the breeze, and in the distance, the family farmhouse nestled snugly into the hillside, its chimney puffing out lazy wisps of smoke. Life on the farm was simple but beautiful.

As Ben began pouring the milk into the calves’ troughs, he heard a rustling behind him. Turning, he saw Daisy, the farm’s clever goat, nibbling on a loose tarp near the chicken coop. “Daisy, not again!” Ben chuckled, setting the milk pails down. The goat bleated innocently, her mischief evident in her wide eyes. She’d already tipped over the feed bucket twice this week.

After tending to the calves and shooing Daisy back to her pen, Ben took a moment to lean against the fence and look out over the farm. The hills were alive with the gentle hum of nature—birds chirped, cows lowed in the distance, and the occasional clang of tools from the workshop punctuated the quiet. This was his world, full of quirks and routines, and he wouldn’t trade it for anything.

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, Farmer Ben tipped his hat to the calves and headed back toward the house, ready for the day ahead. Life on the farm was hard work, but moments like these—surrounded by the animals and the land he cared for—made it all worthwhile.