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**Welcome Wagon:  From Reading, Pa  |
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hipmamato4
True Blue Farmgirl
51 Posts
danielle
wernersville
pa
USA
51 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 28 2008 : 3:58:05 PM
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My husband came home from taking the kids to the library three weeks ago and gave me a magazine that he thought I would like--MaryJane's Farm. I devoured the copy and here I am.
So... I live outside of Reading, Pa on 14 acres in a house built almost 200 years ago. It is very small, but cozy and I am learning to like it well enough. We've been here 9 years.
I have four children that I homeschool, three girls and 1 boy, ages 11,9,5, and 2(my son). The last two were born at home. I am a radical birth junkie--doula and childbirth educator, and also co-direct a non-profit birth network. My kids are awesome and I love being with them. (Although tonight they are mad at me b/c I wouldn't help them with some big barn chores!)
We also have 2 ponies- an elderly Shetland about 9 hh and a talented and adorable Welsh Cob that we purcahsed last August. I grew up riding and competing (mostly Dressage) and dabbling in breeding warmbloods, but in the last 6 years the horses have been replaced by the last two kids. We also have a black Lab, 2 cats, 2 chickens (down from 18--#3 was just eaten by a hawk two weeks ago) and our latest addition is 5 ducklings that we hatched in August (#6 duck was also eaten by the hawk).
I am inspired and comforted knowing that there are lots of other women out there who are living a lifestyle that is not typical. I feel very alone sometimes when most of my friends don't do much more than care for their children, while I am not only caring for them, but also teaching my kids, caring for the animals, mowing acres, weeding, canning, and the other myriad of things that happen in a week. My husband is great, but he is more like the "hare", while I am the tortoise so the bulk of what needs done falls to me. Sometimes it is irritating, but most of the time I enjoy the work.
I was able to can a good bit of food this year, most of it wasn't from out garden, but next year I am expanding so hopefully it will be organic homegrown. I did green beans, beets, 6 kinds of jelly/jam, pickles, applesauce 2 days ago, peaches (which didn't seal and had to be tossed), salsa, and also froze corn, 20 lbs of blueberries, and I think that was it. I LOVE preserving food. Makes me feel like a squirrel and gets me excited for winter. This winter I am planning on learning to sew and trying my hand at a small quilt.
Well, excited to be here. And looking forward to learning from all of you!
Danielle |
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K-Falls Farmgirl
Chapter Leader
2096 Posts
Cheryl
Klamath Falls
Oregon
USA
2096 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2008 : 4:01:07 PM
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Welcome to the farm Danielle, It's a great place to be...
Cheryl #309
Farm girl sister
Keep life simple, to Simply live. Life is too short to worry about it. |
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kmbrown
True Blue Farmgirl
459 Posts
Misty
Waynesboro
Pennsylvania
USA
459 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2008 : 4:56:48 PM
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Hi Danielle!!
I don't live to far from you! Glad you found us. I gotta be nosy and ask who your hombirth midwife was? I had my three babies at home....and I actually trained to be a midwife with two PA midwives. I'm interested in getting to know you better....it seems we have some common interests! |
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Kris Sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
131 Posts
Kris
Chickamauga
Ga.
USA
131 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2008 : 6:28:21 PM
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Hey, Danielle, welcome from Georgia.
Your house sounds great. And what a great thing you do with the childbirth education.
Enjoy it here!
Kris |
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Carol Sue
True Blue Farmgirl
4033 Posts
Carol Sue
Washingtonian
USA
4033 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2008 : 9:01:10 PM
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Hi Danielle,
Glad to hear about you and your family.
Welcome to the forum.
Carol Sue
Farmgirl #39
www.Quitemoments.blogspot.com |
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peachy
True Blue Farmgirl
593 Posts
Melissa
Fennville
MI
USA
593 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2008 : 9:23:44 PM
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Hi Danielle, welcome from Michigan! You sound just like me with the magazine! I devoured the first issue I bought and my husband has been living with aprons being made and new meals at horse camp over the camp-fire ever since!
Missy - Farmgirl sister #360
Life isn't about waiting for the storms to pass...it's about learning to dance in the rain! |
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berryhill
True Blue Farmgirl
132 Posts
Linda
Troy
TN
USA
132 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2008 : 10:22:58 PM
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Hi Danielle, and welcome to the farm! What a fun world you have described! Looking forward to hearing from you again. I am a former Labor and Delivery nurse, and would love to hear more about your experiences with doula, home birth, etc. Have a great week.
Linda |
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Suzan
True Blue Farmgirl
659 Posts
suzanne
duncannon
pa
USA
659 Posts |
Posted - Sep 29 2008 : 06:09:46 AM
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| HI, Danielle, from another PA farmgirl! |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Sep 29 2008 : 06:52:43 AM
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Danielle,
Welcome. I love it when the gals share stories of how their husband's discovered the magazine first~ what a sweetheart. My hubby loves the magazine as well as he loves the "projects" like the hen hotel and green house etc. and of course I usually hear "hey did you see that recipe? Are we gonna try that?" It has become a great conversation piece around the in-laws too.
Glad you found us, I am confident that your hubby will think it is one of the best gifts be has brought home for the family.
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
http://farmchicksfarm.blogspot.com/
You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.
Mae West
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country roads
True Blue Farmgirl
443 Posts
Melissa
Shinglehouse
Pa
USA
443 Posts |
Posted - Sep 29 2008 : 08:04:48 AM
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Hello and welcome from yet another Pa farmgirl!
Take care, Melissa.
Farmgirl # 352
~Think happy thoughts~ |
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lilyblossom
True Blue Farmgirl
416 Posts
Donna
Evansville
IN
USA
416 Posts |
Posted - Sep 29 2008 : 3:22:21 PM
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Hi Danielle, sending you a great big farmgirl welcome from southwest Indiana.
Donna...true blue KY farmgirl, farmgirl #86 |
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hipmamato4
True Blue Farmgirl
51 Posts
danielle
wernersville
pa
USA
51 Posts |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 06:25:47 AM
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Thanks for the warm welcome.
Misty,of course, I love to talk birth so you aren't being nosy! My first birth was a c/s twelve years ago. The diagnosis was cephalopelvic disproportion/failure to progress, but really it was just failure to be patient. Then I got really educated and looked for a homebirth midwife, but no one would do a primary VBAC at home. So I went to Reading Birth and Women's Center and planned a birth center birth. Ended up induced for postdates (14 overdue) but still had a great VBAC in hospital. For #3 said no to the hospital and had a great hb with another midwife at Reading Birth and Women's Center. For #4 2 years ago I had my great and dear friend as my hb midwife (CNM) and we had a nearly completely hands off pregnancy and birth. She is at Birth Care in southern Lancaster county--Maribeth Diver. I was 14 days over again and this time we just broke my water and then I had a wonderful 3 hour labor, birthed in the water on my hand and knees--10 lb 2 oz! It was a fabulous birth-Maribeth got here 15 minutes before I had him. I can't say enough wonderful things about her-she is a gifted birth attendant.
Because I also co-direct the local birth network and make wooden birth stools to sell, I do know or at lease know of a lot of the local midwives. Around this area are: Kate Fawley, Christy Santoro, Lynn shay (retired now)lots of Lancaster Co. CNMs who only do hb, and lots more. the Amish and Mennonite around here make it a great place to have a homebirth. Who were you working with? Did you go through a CPM program and are you planning on practicing at some point?
I am planning on applying to nursing school this winter.There is a 2-3 year wait list so I figure that my little one will be about 5 when I would get in. It's three year PT program. After that I would like to assist the hb midwives and then when my kids are older go to Midwifery school. With the current birth politics in Pa. I am not comfortable not being licensed. If the political environment would change I would probably go through a CPM program, since I know what kind of midwife I would like to be--not a medwife!
I have a mom due any day and in November have about 4 ladies due within two weeks. I would love to post about the births--but where should I post...Across the Fence?
Homebirthing, home-schooling mama to 4 awesome kids, living an idyllic country life in Pennsylvania |
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lacisne88
True Blue Farmgirl
1181 Posts
Chelsey
Lake Stevens
Washington
USA
1181 Posts |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 3:25:02 PM
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Hello and welcome Danielle! You sure sound like a true farmgirl! That's wonderful...I hope you enjoy the forum!
Chelsey
Farmgirl Sister #283
http://farmgirlpleasures.blogspot.com/ |
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kmbrown
True Blue Farmgirl
459 Posts
Misty
Waynesboro
Pennsylvania
USA
459 Posts |
Posted - Oct 02 2008 : 04:22:52 AM
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I think a post on across the fence would be good! I did go through the CPM program. I had the books from NARM.
I may practice after my babies are grown up a bit. Right know I just deliver goat kids!! My sister is also trained as a CPM. She is assistant to the midwife I use...Judith Mentzer. I also did some births under Diane Goslin...who you may have heard of. She has been in the news a bit recently. I only did like 7 births with her..she actually was the midwife that trained a friend of mine who is now in Maine.
Anyway, I have 2 boys and a girl. My first boy I labored for 43 HOURS. Yeah...it was awful. He was 8lb 8oz. My second baby boy I only labored 8 hours but the little stinker arrived occopult posterior. I thought I was going to die!! He was 8lb 12oz.
My daughter is 5 mos and I labored 9hours in a birthing tub and she was born in the water with just one push. She was 8lb 8oz. I am totally sold on water births!! I hope to have any future babies in a birth tub.
I know because of insurance reasons we have talked about using a CNM but in our area there is only one and she will only deliver in the hospital. I really don't know if I can bring myself to go to the hospital after three healthy babies born all natural at home!! |
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hipmamato4
True Blue Farmgirl
51 Posts
danielle
wernersville
pa
USA
51 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2008 : 08:35:18 AM
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Why not have your sister assist you? For me, a hospital birth would not ever be an option. Been there, done that. It is fine for me to assist at hospital births. I am totally respectful of the fact that all women need to feel safe wherever they choose to give birth. But I felt very violated by my experiences and have seen normal, non-interventive, respectful birth and I would not be able to go back into that environment. I think it would be hard for you as well, with your background. I attended a BEAUTIFUL and amazing Amish homebirth that was just a profound and moving experience and it left me with a standard that is hard to live up to!
I have heard of Judith, don't know her personally. And of course, I have heard of Diane as well.
Homebirthing, home-schooling mama to 4 awesome kids, living an idyllic country life in Pennsylvania |
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kmbrown
True Blue Farmgirl
459 Posts
Misty
Waynesboro
Pennsylvania
USA
459 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2008 : 3:42:42 PM
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You know you just told me what so many other women have told me already. Working with Judi we attended MOSTLY Amish, Old Order Mennonite and German Baptist deliveries. Such wonderful people...a constant model of mine.
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paradiseplantation
True Blue Farmgirl
1277 Posts
julie
social springs community
Louisiana
USA
1277 Posts |
Posted - Oct 07 2008 : 09:19:47 AM
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A warm Southern welcome from one of the Louisiana farm girls. So glad to have you, Danielle!
from the hearts of paradise... |
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**Welcome Wagon: From Reading, Pa |
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From Reading, Pa
