| Author |
**Welcome Wagon:  Howdy, from Illinois!  |
|
|
wildhorsemom
Farmgirl in Training
14 Posts
Laurie
Illinois
USA
14 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 08 2006 : 09:55:35 AM
|
Hi! I'm a wife to a lovely husband, and stay-at-home mom of three, and "mom" to three horses,three dogs, and two cats. I've (we've, I ought to say, since my dear hubby is the one who's backing my dreams) worked my/our way up from a half-acre in a little Southern Sierra mountain town (Tehachapi, CA.), to a wooded five acre patch in Illinois (long story!), and hopefully, if we sell our current home soon, onto a cleared two acre mini-farm next to Mom & Pop's five acres and their new home. We'll be buying their old home-- a quaint little 1940 farm house with lots of room for the five of us. Their place even has a small barn for the horses to finally have a shelter in! We're hoping and praying God will bring us a buyer soon. I will finally then be able to have a decent garden once again!
At any rate, when we moved from Cali to Illinois in late 2004, I had to leave behind seven hens, a rooster, and a really nice corral and horse shelter and tack shed. I intend to get a good coop and a dozen new hens by this spring, whether we are here or at the new house! I miss having chickens! Had to leave behind my ol' Ford 4x4 pickup, too (waaaaahhhh! My cowgirl truck!) 'cause my ever sensible hubby didn't really think it could make the cross country trip. Silly boy, I bet it would have! But we still have the Toyota Forerunner (eh- whatever.It's all right...) and the nearly new Dodge quad cab. At least we still have a pickup!
Well, without getting into too much more boring detail, here I am. Bought Mary Jane's book from a book club thingy a little while back. I love it, would love to read more! My current favorite magazines happen to be Western Horseman, Countryside & Small Farm Journal, and Farm & Ranch Living (from Reiman). I love the country life, and have come closer every year to having our small farm the way we'd like it. Took a while to convert my hubby, but now that we've been out of the big city for 13 years, he's pretty convinced!
I like photography, writing, singing, cooking and baking, and of course, most outdoorsy adventures. I love to ride and work w/ my horses, but the weather's been too sketchy right now to let me do much! But Spring is coming, yes it is...! I hope to get my garden going soon, and have some specialty produce to sell or barter to local restaurants and neighbors...I'm currently looking at rhubarb, tree fruits, and berries. I think the local farmers have the corn and hay pretty much covered, ha ha! I'd also like to sell some crafts locally...we'll see how that pans out!
We moved to a small farming town, great schools, wonderful (sane!) people. California was getting too be too much (lived there all our lives). Where we were had been a lovely small mountain town for a long long time, where we knew everybody, and everybody was real down to earth. But in the last five years, a lot of city folks from L.A. (and no offense to you country folk trying to get out of L.A., or just trying to survive there!) and you can tell who the city folk are-- they don't wave, they complain about your dog barking at raccoons at night; they don't think it's quaint to hear your rooster greeting them; they have really rude kids who hate living in the country, and they complain that they can smell your horses from their house. Well, hey-- my horses and I were there first, and you should be glad I don't have a hog farm, lol!
After enduring a long year of health issues, and feeling somewhat better now, I thought it might be fun to hang out here once in awhile and meet some other like-minded gals. Maybe I'll even find that some of my "neighbors" are here!
Okay, well...I guess that's a lengthy introduction, hope no one minds! But I'm also kind of a wordy gal, so beware, lol! Glad to be here, hope to have a wonderful time when i can visit!
~~Laurie, aka 'wildhorsemom' |
|
|
farmgrlchick
True Blue Farmgirl
439 Posts
Theresa
Columbus
Montana
USA
439 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2006 : 10:44:32 AM
|
Hi Laurie! Welcome! A couple of things, I lived in Palmdale for three years. My very best girlfriend in the whole wide world lives there, in Leona Valley. Let's see I lived there 88-1990. I graduated from Palmdale High School. My Dad's siblings Live in Newhall as well as my Grandma. My Parents were born and raised in the 'valley'. My husband lived in Tehachapi in '86. graduated from High School there. One more thing my brothers girlfriend and soon to be mother of their daughter is from Illinios, not sure where at but her family still live there and they do talk of moving back that way. (they are in arizona right now)ANyway if you ever need anyone to chat southern Cal with....
Farmgirl Blessings,
Theresa
|
 |
|
|
Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2006 : 10:48:45 AM
|
WElcome Laurie!!
Boy...you sound great..I love that you have been to my old stomping grounds on the central coast alot. I actually lived in Pismo for 4 or 5 years and we probably were there at the same time at one point, right??? How fun to think that.
I am glad you found our group...you will fit in great here!!
Jenny in Utah
It's astonishing how short a time it takes for very wonderful things to happen...Frances Burnette
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
|
|
|
Bridge
True Blue Farmgirl
814 Posts
Bridgette
Southern
Indiana
USA
814 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2006 : 11:00:23 AM
|
Welcome Laurie,
Hope all works out with the house & move!!
You will love this place!! It's great!!
The gals always seem to have just the right answer or advice!!
Plus it's a great place to just chat about the thing's we all love!!
~~My Blog~~
Bridge's Bargains~Click to see |
|
|
|
blueroses
True Blue Farmgirl
1323 Posts
Debbie
in the Pandhandle of
Idaho
USA
1323 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2006 : 11:14:51 AM
|
Hi Laurie,
Welcome. You sound like you have a lot of energy and are a lot of fun. Congrats on the move. Glad to have you here.
Debbie
"You cannot find peace...by avoiding life."
Virginia Woolfe |
|
|
|
theherblady
True Blue Farmgirl
510 Posts
Jan
Glasford
Illinois
USA
510 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2006 : 12:50:32 PM
|
Welcome Laurie from another Illinoisian~~ Great to have you ! Sounds like you will really like it here 'cuz we all love the same things as you!!
Lots of great advice and warm friends~~
Jan |
|
|
|
FarrarFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
330 Posts
Lynda
Frohna
Missouri
USA
330 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2006 : 2:57:44 PM
|
Hi, Laurie and Welcome,
It's great to hear how someone's dreams become reality and yours are certainly moving in that direction. We'd love to hear all about them as they happen. Where in IL are you located? You do sound like a busy lady. Hats off to you for being a stay at home mom! We have alot of similar interests. I love photography, cooking, singing (mostly to myself - I didn't say I was good, just like it) <grin>, and gardening. My husband hoards our Small Farmers Journal's so I don't get to read them often, but enjoy it when I get them.
We'll have to compare notes and learn what works from each other about your desire to sell specialty produce. I'll warn you, though, it sounds like it will be mostly me learning from you, as I am very new at growing berries. However, those are exactly the things my husband and I talked about and started last year. We started a small patch of berries (blackberries, raspberries, strawberries and gooseberries) with the same idea of selling to local restaurants or at a farmer's market. We know they won't really start to bear much until three years, which we hope to be on the farm by then. Right now I live in St. Louis, MO, so we're not quite as close to realizing our dream as you are yours, but that's okay, being here on this forum makes it that much more a reality everyday that I chat with these wonderful farmgirls. You'll love it here, too.
Oh, and there's one more thing we have in common, I'm so glad to meet another "wordy gal." :o) I am too! Did you notice?
Looking forward to getting to know you even more - Welcome and Blessings to you on your new adventure in IL.
In His hands,
Lynda
Pray in faith and you will not live in doubt. |
|
|
|
abbasgurl
True Blue Farmgirl
1262 Posts
Rhonda
USA
1262 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2006 : 5:48:47 PM
|
Welcome Laurie,
I'm new to these forums too but have already "met" some great folks! It's been fun exchanging ideas & talking about so many things we all seem to enjoy! You sound happily busy! Loved hearing about your farming "pursuits"! I'm a chatty gal too, so ramble on! Can't wait to get to know you better! I'm in your neighboring state of Indiana, in the NW corner. Where are you located in IL? Wouldn't hurt me to pick up a map, would it?
Once again, WELCOME!
Rhonda
...and I will sing at the top of my lungs, and I will dance, even if I'm the only one! |
|
|
|
therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2006 : 5:59:08 PM
|
Welcome Laurie from an Illinois farmgirl that transplanted to the Pacific NW. Where in IL are you?
Mine is just a little old fashioned garden where the flowers come together to praise the Lord, and teach all who look upon them to do likewise.
-- Celia Thaxter
http://therusticcottage.etsy.com
http://rusticcottage.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
| |
**Welcome Wagon: Howdy, from Illinois! |
|
|
|
Howdy, from Illinois!
