Saturday, 7:00 a.m.

The animals have informed us that housekeeping day has arrived.

Well, technically they didn't inform us. The goats simply stared at us while standing in bedding that has seen better days, and the chickens continued their ongoing mission to scatter pine shavings in every direction possible.

As responsible caretakers, we accepted the challenge.

Every two weeks we perform what can only be described as the Great Stall Clean-Out.

Armed with shovels, wheelbarrows, determination, and questionable judgment, we begin removing used bedding from the goat stalls. The goats supervise closely. They do not help, but they are excellent supervisors.

Some goats inspect our work.

Some goats attempt to eat the broom.

Some goats simply stand exactly where we're trying to clean.

All of them seem convinced that we couldn't possibly complete the project without their oversight.

The good news is that the mixture of cedar chips, pine shavings, and goat droppings eventually turns into wonderful dirt. The even better news is that we have plenty of holes around the property to fill.

You see, our chickens have taken up excavation as a hobby.

No one taught them this.

No one asked them to do it.

Yet every week we discover new craters, trenches, and archaeological digs scattered throughout the property. If they ever uncover dinosaur bones, we won't be surprised.

After the stalls are shoveled, swept, and aired out, we take a well-earned water break. The goats spend this time investigating whether the freshly cleaned stalls are suitable for immediate reoccupation.

Their verdict is always yes.

Then it's time for the chicken coop.

This is where Lisa takes command.

The coop requires patience, flexibility, and the willingness to spend extended periods bent into positions normally associated with yoga classes. Chicken coops, it turns out, are designed perfectly for chickens and almost nobody else.

The chickens observe the cleaning process with great interest.

They offer suggestions.

By "suggestions," we mean they walk directly into the area being cleaned and look offended when asked to move.

Once the nesting boxes and sleeping areas are scraped clean, fresh pine shavings are added. The chickens immediately inspect the new accommodations and appear pleased with the upgrades.

At least until they decide to kick the bedding everywhere.

The feed coop gets attention too. We try to keep up with cleaning throughout the week because chickens have a fascinating approach to housekeeping.

Most creatures separate their kitchen from their bathroom.

Chickens do not share this philosophy.

In fact, they seem completely unaware that such a distinction exists.

So we scrape. And sweep. And scrape some more.

By late afternoon the stalls are clean, the coop is fresh, the wheelbarrow is empty, and the animals are happily settled back into their homes.

The goats celebrate by making a mess of their hay.

The chickens celebrate by scratching pine shavings into places we just cleaned.

And so another successful cleaning day comes to an end.

We'll do it all again in two weeks.

The animals are already preparing their next mess.