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A Farm of My Own:  Hoping for Info on the PayDirt Farm School  |
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akcowgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
296 Posts
Valerie
Homer
Alaska
USA
296 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 21 2006 : 12:38:04 PM
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My dear other half and I are trying to get some land so we can have our "mini farm" but untill we are able to do that i am wondering if anyone has been to Mary Janes Pay Dirt Farm School and what you thought of it? Was it helpfull? do you use what you learned there? Thank you Valerie
Alaska Girl all the Way |
Edited by - akcowgirl on Mar 21 2006 1:41:39 PM |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - Mar 21 2006 : 4:12:16 PM
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I DID - I went and I loved it. I spent a week at MaryJanes Farm last August. I have to say, it was so much more inspiring and information-filled than even my high hopes for it were. At first, I was a little bit nervous, in that I am a novice farmer, but ALL of the folks up there are so very helpful and are willing to tailor their information to what you want to learn. I have a file of notes and information from that week that I do refer to quite a bit, and one of the things I hold close and refer to often is seeing the reality of a working farm, run by a woman farmer. That, I know, is an intangible, but it is also something that, for me, I had to see and experience before I could wrap my mind around the fact that it is possible for me to do here. That said - I am still in the planning stages of my farm, and the folks at MJF have been so helpful and willing to act as "virtual mentors" to me. I can give Pay Dirt Farm School a rousing farmgirl recommendation. If you have any other questions, or want to know more about my week - ask - I could go on and on.....
XOXO, Libbie
"Nothing is worth more than this day." - Goethe |
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akcowgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
296 Posts
Valerie
Homer
Alaska
USA
296 Posts |
Posted - Mar 21 2006 : 11:05:17 PM
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Thank you for the replies, i really want to go but am a little nervous because i don't even have my own property. my house is built on my dad's property so i can't have any more animals but i can garden and plan for my farm in the future. Was there any courses that were very helpful to you? Thank you
Alaska Girl all the Way |
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - Mar 27 2006 : 12:15:23 PM
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I've been mulling this one over, and yes, actually all of the courses were very helpful to me. Let me explain - when I called MJF to ask about the farm school, they sent a flyer out with a listing of topics that could be covered during certain weeks at the farm. Since I could only afford one week, both time and money-wise, they were kind enough to specialize that week and teach me what I asked to learn. What an opportunity!
Don't be nervous that you don't have your own property - at this point, feel lucky! When you DO get a piece of land, you'll be able to have a plan put together and not "waste" the several years that I, and perhaps others, have wasted learning how important it is to plan and learn. There's that old adage "If you fail to plan, you're planning to fail," well, in many cases, it's true, and now could just be the PERFECT time for you to learn what you want to learn, without the "fuss" of having to worry about land at the same time. How fortunate!
XOXO, Libbie
"Nothing is worth more than this day." - Goethe |
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akcowgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
296 Posts
Valerie
Homer
Alaska
USA
296 Posts |
Posted - Mar 31 2006 : 12:46:21 PM
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Thank you for the info. i am hoping to be able to save my money this next year and go to it in the summer of 07. I really like you saying " if you fail to plan, you're planning to fail" you are so right. Right now SO and i are still looking for some good land and it is a great time to start planning. Thank you again.
Valerie
Alaska Girl all the way
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - Mar 31 2006 : 1:20:24 PM
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Sure! If I can tell you anything else about my experience with Pay Dirt Farm School - just ask - I'd be happy to. I really think it's a worthwhile investment in a lot of ways...
XOXO, Libbie
"Nothing is worth more than this day." - Goethe |
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akcowgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
296 Posts
Valerie
Homer
Alaska
USA
296 Posts |
Posted - Mar 31 2006 : 1:25:28 PM
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What were the things that you went there to learn?
Valerie
Alaska Girl all the way
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - Mar 31 2006 : 1:37:13 PM
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Well, to begin with, I am not an experienced farmer. I moved to our old, old family farm in 1998 - it's been in the family since it was homesteaded in 1875, but had been rented out for 30+ years, and became available, so my then-boyfriend and I said, "What a dream! Let's give it our best..." and we have tried to do that. That being said, we came here with very little farming skill, and very little experience in rural life and farm life.
When my mother told me about MaryJane and her farm, I just somehow *knew* that she was someone who had done what I dream of doing - a woman who farmed, and who made a good, beautiful life out of living closely to the land. In a nutshell, I went to MJF to see exactly what that farm would look like, work like and "feel" like. That's the intangible part of it. Now for the skills part that I went to learn - I didn't know what an organic vegetable/flower/crop farm looked like, and I didn't know much about outbuilding setup, planting "en masse," tools and tool maintenance, and also, something major - marketing and publicity.
MaryJane and I spent a day, also, up there with another farmer who shared his formula for having a successful "cow-share" raw milk dairy, which was very interesting to me, as I would like to have a Dexter cow or two here, and having them bring in an income is what it will take to make it work.
It is my goal to "transform farm life into a reasonable income" as someone here said earlier in another post, and the stay at MJF really was instrumental in heading me in the right direction. I'm not there yet, but I'm getting there!!!
(by the by - I really like the horse in your signature line!)
XOXO, Libbie
"Nothing is worth more than this day." - Goethe |
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akcowgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
296 Posts
Valerie
Homer
Alaska
USA
296 Posts |
Posted - Apr 03 2006 : 1:22:10 PM
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thanks for the info Libbie. transforming farm life into a reasonable income is my dream also but just haveing fresh produce and eggs for my family would be a good start also. I have my mind set now to start saving my money to be able to go. Thank you again
Valerie
Alaska Girl all the way
Deja Moo: The feeling that you've heard this bull before.
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - Apr 03 2006 : 5:06:00 PM
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Sure - let me know if there's anything else you'd like to know about my stay...
The "deja moo" is TOO FUNNY! I think I may have the occasion to use that one tonight...
XOXO, Libbie
"Nothing is worth more than this day." - Goethe |
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MullersLaneFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
596 Posts
Rock Falls
IL
596 Posts |
Posted - Apr 04 2006 : 1:58:35 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Libbie
also, up there with another farmer who shared his formula for having a successful "cow-share" raw milk dairy, which was very interesting to me, as I would like to have a Dexter cow or two here, and having them bring in an income is what it will take to make it work.
FWIW, It is legal in Utah to sell Raw Milk on the farm without having a Cow-Share program. The sale must be made at the farm and to the final consumer. The raw milk must be bottled on the farm and labeled "Raw Milk". You do need to obtain a permit from the Utah Dept of Ag, who will probably come out to your farm and make sure your cleanliness is up to snuff (not too difficult to do and really worth it IMO) You can even sell blocks of cheese!
We have a number of 'how-to pictorials' on our web site:
http://www.mullerslanefarm.com/pictorials
Cyndi
Say NO! to National Animal ID
http://www.NoNAIS.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Illinois_Against_NAIS
Joshua 24:15
Muller's Lane Farm
http://www.mullerslanefarm.com
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Apr 04 2006 : 3:21:10 PM
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Wow...cyndi..that is so good to know!! I sell milk to two families (neighbors and good friends) and we have done it on a cow share sort of thing..nice to know I COULD do it differently. I have really been thinking about selling cheese...I want to check that out.
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - Apr 04 2006 : 3:43:38 PM
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Cyndi - thank you for the information! I'm going to check out your website - thanks again!!!
XOXO, Libbie
"Nothing is worth more than this day." - Goethe |
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westernhorse51
True Blue Farmgirl
1681 Posts
michele
farmingdale
n.j.
USA
1681 Posts |
Posted - Apr 05 2006 : 04:56:04 AM
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AGAIN, I will say, I am living in the wrong state!! You can't breathe in N.J. amymore w/out a license that say's you can. I can't believe the freedom you girls have out there to do things that (to me) are normal.
she selects wool and flax and works with eager hands Prov.31:13 |
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - Apr 05 2006 : 07:23:19 AM
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Oh, Michele - maybe you're a "westerner" at heart, too!
XOXO, Libbie
"Nothing is worth more than this day." - Goethe |
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A Farm of My Own: Hoping for Info on the PayDirt Farm School |
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Hoping for Info on the PayDirt Farm School
