| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Libbie |
Posted - Apr 09 2007 : 08:04:31 AM
There are so many of our beloved farmgirls moving to new homes or farms lately - it's so exciting to see these gals heading toward their dreams!
So, I was thinking - maybe we could help them by offering a piece or two of our best farm or home advice -- as sort of a "farm-warming" gift...
What do you think?
Here's mine:
 Take things step by step - while making your plans and working toward your dream farm (or farmette or home), leave room for changes! You'll always be learning new and better ways of doing things, so be sure to include flexibility in your new farmer's toolbox!!!!
XOXO, Libbie
"All through the long winter, I dream of my garden. On the first day of spring, I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth. I can feel its energy, and my spirits soar..." - Helen Hayes |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Alee |
Posted - Jul 12 2007 : 08:02:21 AM
What a great idea, Tamara! Now you have "blueprints" for where your farm is going!
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora! |
| corporatefarmgirl |
Posted - Jul 12 2007 : 07:46:25 AM
GREAT TOPIC. Another thing that has been REALLY helpful to us is to know what we want our farm to be in the end. We thought we were going to put the garden and chicken coops in a certain location. Then I awoke in the middle of the night ( for some odd reason I solve a lot of problems in my sleep!)knowing the locations would not work because one of the locastions was where the barn would eventually need to go. Over the next several days my DH and I set down and really thought about what we ultimatly wanted to have on our small farm. Then we drew it out on paper. We now have a clear picture as to what we both want, we have a plan. BEST OF LUCK TO ALL....
there is a seed to plant in every heart |
| Alee |
Posted - Jun 29 2007 : 5:10:53 PM
Harmony-
I think that is a great quote! I think I am going to print it out an pin it somewhere for me to see everyday! :)
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for tying, one hand to hold Nora! |
| Harmony |
Posted - Jun 20 2007 : 9:17:48 PM
My favorite quotes is "Have a belief in yourself that is bigger than anyone's disbelief." It's something i try to remember everyday!
"Have a belief in yourself bigger than anyone's disbelief." -- August Wilson |
| Alee |
Posted - Jun 20 2007 : 07:19:39 AM
Oh I just thought of another piece of advice for the farm/ranch novice-
Research how much feed is going to cost before jumping into keeping animals your first year or two. It would be really sad if you couldn't afford to feed your animals properly through the winter.
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for tying, one hand to hold Nora! |
| Alee |
Posted - Jun 10 2007 : 8:55:51 PM
July and August are pretty open, but September is full!
Alee |
| Celticheart |
Posted - Jun 10 2007 : 4:54:11 PM
Let's do it! Last summer I went to a get-together at Julia's outside of Airway Heights. It was so much fun. Where and when? During the summer I usually have Wednesdays and some Fridays available and most weekends.
"I suppose the pleasure of country life lies really in the eternally renewed evidence of the determination to live." Vita Sackville-West
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| Alee |
Posted - Jun 08 2007 : 2:40:27 PM
Marcia-
If you are that close, we should have a farmgirl party one of these days! There are several of us in the area!
Hugs
Alee |
| Celticheart |
Posted - Jun 08 2007 : 1:19:08 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Alee
Libbie and Amanda-
What great sentiments. Sometimes we all get too wrapped up in where we are going. Sometimes it truly is just about the journey!
Alee
That is so very true. One of my favorite quotes is--Success is not a destination we arrive at somewhere in the future. Success is the quality of the journey. That's not the exact quote but it's something like that.
Katmom--when you get to WA(which will be soon we hope), I live a little farther south than Cheryl and Alee but I'd love to come welcome you too. It's not far. Only a couple of hours away. You'll love it out in the area around Airway Heights and Medical Lake.
Good luck with your search.
"I suppose the pleasure of country life lies really in the eternally renewed evidence of the determination to live." Vita Sackville-West
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| kitchensqueen |
Posted - Jun 08 2007 : 07:17:54 AM
I want a clawfoot soaking tub so badly! That will be a requirement when we buy or build our first house. :-)
http://apartmentfarm.wordpress.com
Now Open!: http://shadetreestudios.etsy.com |
| shepherdgirl |
Posted - Jun 07 2007 : 10:20:42 PM
Oh boy, do I know this one well! When I came to this farm over 18yrs ago, there were no animals. Not even a farm cat! I had dreamed of living on a farm since I was 7yrs old, and there I was, a young bride of 18, finally on the farm! I started with a horse (then got another) chickens, dogs and cats. I knew nothing about farm life, but I sure learned fast! The sheep came later, then the goats, then MORE sheep-- and so it went. Somewhere in there also came three boys! It's been an adventure-- sometimes a bit overwhelming, sometimes full of heartache, but OH the JOY!!! To all you ladies out there who dream of the farm life, don't ever be afraid to give it a try if you can. The advice on this page is priceless and so are the ladies who give it! You go girls!! - Tracy
PS: We have one of those claw foot tubs too-- aren't they grand?! |
| MullersLaneFarm |
Posted - Jun 07 2007 : 08:35:59 AM
Great advice Libbie!
Amanda, one of the greatest vacations my children & took was a trip down to OK & back to IL. We knew our route but had no time table, only a destination to my father's house.
It was the best vacation ever! We stopped when we wanted to, explored many, many museums & out of the way 'attractions'
To go along with Libbie's advice. Realize there will be days when you wonder WHY am I doing this and feel discouraged or over whelmed. It comes with the territory and doesn't mean you're a failure or not meant for this lifestyle. As my Daddy would say, 'This too, shall pass.'
Cyndi
Muller's Lane Farm http://www.mullerslanefarm.com
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| Alee |
Posted - May 28 2007 : 3:11:10 PM
Libbie and Amanda-
What great sentiments. Sometimes we all get too wrapped up in where we are going. Sometimes it truly is just about the journey!
Alee |
| kitchensqueen |
Posted - May 28 2007 : 1:55:53 PM
Anne, that was the theme of my wedding-- enjoy the journey, not the desitination. I had a ribbon wrapped around my bouquet (red roses that I assembled myself) that said "journey" on it. And then we did a 2 week road trip on Rt. 66, with nothing planned in advance. Story of my life, and very few people get it! Glad there are likeminded souls here.
http://apartmentfarm.wordpress.com
Now Open!: http://shadetreestudios.etsy.com |
| Libbie |
Posted - May 27 2007 : 10:50:16 PM
Okay - another hopefully helpful hint for new farm/home gals -- Get rid of the "it will all be 'done' someday" mentality and learn to enjoy the act of doing things, fixing things, creating things... learn to enjoy the journey instead of the destination. For me, this has been a hard one to learn, as I always seem to want things finished yesterday, but it's been INVALUABLE. To enjoy comforting a crying child instead of wishing he wasn't crying...to find pleasure in weeding instead of spending that time wishing it were already done... I'm discovering that THAT is where happy days come from for me - enjoying what I am doing, no matter how mundane, instead of wishing that I was doing something else. ---just a thought!
XOXO, Libbie
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| Alee |
Posted - May 01 2007 : 09:22:06 AM
Cheryl-
You wouldn't happen to own some Scottish Highland cattle would you?
Alee |
| highlandgirl |
Posted - Apr 30 2007 : 7:16:53 PM
A Tea Shop! What a great idea Katmom. The Medical Lake area has some beautiful places. I was just in that area about two weeks ago and enjoyed the scenery.
Moving to the country is such fun and adventures. Having to travel a little further for things helps build independence and creativeness. I know I've become a lot more creative about how to solve a problem if traveling to the "Home Depot" is an hour or more away.
Keep in touch and when you're moved in we might make a caravan to visit.
Cheryl |
| katmom |
Posted - Apr 29 2007 : 10:29:02 PM
Alee,
You are so sweet & kind.
Just moving to Washington will be a wonderful gift!
I truly am excited about meeting all you lovely ladies & having the best tea party with linens & lace & hopefully lavender to scent the air.
I have day dreamed for the longest time to have a tea shop which I would call "Lavender, Lace & Tea". Who knows, maybe someday It will happen.
Ladies, my kitchen door will always be open to you and a pot of tea will always be ready.
Farm Girl Hugs,
>^..^< Happiness is being a katmom. |
| Alee |
Posted - Apr 29 2007 : 9:24:33 PM
Grace-
Let me know when you are moving in- I will drive up from Moscow with housewarming gifts!
Alee |
| katmom |
Posted - Apr 29 2007 : 3:00:25 PM
Thanx Cheryl.
My daughter & son-in-love go into escrow on Monday for a home on 5 acres that they made an offer on this Friday. It is in Spokane just on the edge by Airway heights (just above Medical Lake)...so now we will concentrate our search in & around that area too. I would have prefered to be on the East side of Spokane near the Idaho boarder, but family is very important to us, especially since we only had 1 child & greatful for her as we were told we (me)would not be able to have children.
I so look forward to meeting up with all the lovely Washington farm gals, Idaho & whome ever else would like to come out and play.
Well, back to my play room to finish up my clothes pins that I am working on for the clothes pin swap.
tata-4-now
>^..^< Happiness is being a katmom. |
| highlandgirl |
Posted - Apr 29 2007 : 10:38:39 AM
I'm going to give a big yeah to Libbie's comments about find an activity you enjoy for relaxation. Mine is hanging laundry outside to dry. I really enjoy when the weather cooperates and I get to put the laundry outside. Not only is is environmentally friendly but I find it relaxing and folding after hanging outside is a "breeze".
All the suggestions so far are right on, especially the comment about getting the bathroom done first. I know when we moved from town to the farm, we had to do some major rennovations. I told my DH that the only thing I had to have before moving in was a decent bathroom and a functioning kitchen. For the first three months (Jan. - March) we slept on a hide-a-bed in the dining area but I had my kitchen and bathroom. You can deal with a lot of construction mess and missing walls when you can soak in that clawfoot tub and eat a good meal.
Katmom, I see you are moving to the Spokane area. We will practically be neighbors. Hope all goes well with the move and keep in touch.
Cheryl
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| Libbie |
Posted - Apr 29 2007 : 06:45:21 AM
You all have SUCH great advice - I wish I'd thought of it when I first moved to this farm - and I KNOW that the new farmers/homedwellers/whomever! will love it. -- and yep, Kay - pink sure works!
XOXO, Libbie
"All through the long winter, I dream of my garden. On the first day of spring, I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth. I can feel its energy, and my spirits soar..." - Helen Hayes |
| therusticcottage |
Posted - Apr 29 2007 : 12:04:23 AM
Libbie -- thanks so much for starting this thread. It is wonderful!! Can I do pink nail polish instead of red??
I don't have any advice to add since I don't have animals or a big garden. Oh I just thought of something -- get yourself a big flashlight. It's dark in the country!
Visit my Etsy shop at http://therusticcottage.etsy.com OR www.annarosetta.com
http://therusticcottage.blogspot.com/ |
| katmom |
Posted - Apr 28 2007 : 11:44:29 PM
Libby, I luv your advice about the red nail polish, I'll stock up!
All of the wonderful advice/suggestions come at a perfect time, since DH & I will be moving with in the next 2-3 months, to a 'farmett' type of property in the Spokane WA. area.
We will be incorporating all of your advise, adding a pinch of "sence of humor" too!
tata-4-now
>^..^< Happiness is being a katmom. |
| Alee |
Posted - Apr 28 2007 : 9:39:40 PM
Penny-
I love those old claw style bath tubs! What a treat! Was it original to the house or did you "import" it?
Alee |
