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A Farm of My Own:  Everyone's story.  |
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mollymae
True Blue Farmgirl
694 Posts
Molly
Visalia
California
USA
694 Posts |
 Posted - May 27 2005 : 12:23:39 PM
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Thank you JP!
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." --Henry David Thoreau
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connio
True Blue Farmgirl
535 Posts
connie
springtown
texas
USA
535 Posts |
Posted - May 27 2005 : 3:16:51 PM
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Hey Farmgirls I am so thrilled that everyone is sharing their lives, plans and dreams. I began living my dream when I bought 6.5 acres in rural Texas in late 2003. I am especially thrilled to be away from all of the urban traffic most of the time. I was trying to go to work the other day and encountered my first rural traffic jam---my neighbors 7 goats had gotten out on the road and were happily grazing away! ANother neighbor took charge of getting them home, and I went on to work!! This is the only type of traffic jam that I care to deal with anymore!
I have 12 dogs (all rescued from horrible situations), 4 indoor cats and about a dozen barn cats. I also have 2 gerbils, but they are going to live in the children's room of a public library shortly. I have had kennels and a small dog barn built that attach to my house so that the dogs can come and go when I am at work. I will add fencing to an acre or so as soon as I can afford it so that they can run freely for part of each day. I also want to eventually have a couple of Dexter cattle, a few miniature donkeys, some chickens, and perhaps a couple of goats. These will have to wait until I have the money to do even more fencing and put the sides up on my large pole barn. I also would love to be able to quit my job as a librarian and support myself by having a flower farm and by writing nonfiction articles for magazines and perhaps also doing nonfiction books for kids. I just love information. Of course, there is also a great deal of work that needs to be done on my little house, but there is too much to list on this.......
These are my dreams; I will continue to make them happen. OH YES, another big moment this month was when my hay field was mowed; I now have 6 large round bales of hay which I am actually giving to my neighbor to feed his horses. I was so excited--guess that I need to get the camera out and take photos of those bales!! I am certain that all of the longtime ranchers and farmers out here would tease me!!
Connie
cozycottage |
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MeadowLark
True Blue Farmgirl
2206 Posts
USA
2206 Posts |
Posted - May 27 2005 : 3:24:39 PM
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Connie I love your dreams!!!! Let me know when you are ready for the Dexters. Mary Jane asked me for info and I will be glad to share the sites and brochures I have on them. You will love raising them, they are so much fun to work with. She plans on starting a herd herself. Bet that was a surprise to see the goats crossing the road! Someone needs to put up a cute sign that says "Goat Crossing"...The country holds so many joys and it sounds like you are soaking them all up!
"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there." Rumi, 13th century. |
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catscharm74
True Blue Farmgirl
4687 Posts
Heather
Texas
USA
4687 Posts |
Posted - May 28 2005 : 10:38:34 AM
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Dream- to get the heck out of the "city".
Reality- can't do that right now with both of us in the military. Only place they will station us together is SD for now. Plan on getting making babies, getting my degree and getting out of the Navy for me. Hubby wants to stay and do another 20 which I fully support. So for now, I live as "country" as I can in the city. Cooking, sewing, decorating country, frequenting the co-ops and farmer's markets, country music and just a relaxed way of life. I am very lucky and try to go with the flow of things. I do miss looking out the windows and not seeing anything but beautiful country or going outside in my pj's and gardening for a little while in them without people thinking I am nuts. Would like to have a few critters on a few acres of land somewhere.I am a New England girl but hubby doesn't like the winters. He would like TX but it's got to have trees for me to move there. We will keep working towards our goals. Just want to get him home safe for now and then go from there. I do like some conveniences of living here but I know from living in New England I can stay at home and find plenty to do. I would like to try my hand at canning but don't have the space here and things are so expensive here to buy to do it. I am making meatballs tonight from scratch. I guess that is a start. : ) It will be interesting to follow everyone here to see where y'all are in a few weeks, months, years....what has changed, dislikes, likes, what you would do differently..Stay tuned!!! |
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BamaSuzy
True Blue Farmgirl
138 Posts
Alabama
USA
138 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2005 : 9:14:44 PM
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This morning as I sat outside during a short respite from the four days of rain, watching a huge bunny from my bunny barn exercise in the new fenced area for our Billy Goat, Harley, (who will move in it likely this weekend)....
I watched as the bunny stood on his back legs, tall and straight, and sniff the air....Just then the rooster flew to the top of the fence and gave a hearty cock-a-doodle-do as he surveyed his flock of "girls."
The three goats munched hay in their fence and Maggie the dog wagged her tail in appreciation as the bunny hopped over to say hello!
And as I sat there....I realized how I'm living my dream....
Gosh---it's sometimes awfully hard work....the allergic reaction to the poison oak along the new goat fence....digging post holes for the corner posts...stringing that dog wire by myself because husband is busy at work....going to cover a meeting and looking down at my hands holding my reporter's notebook and pen and seeing all the scratches and skint place and wondering what on earth do people THINK I do in my "spare" time????
Looking at the many bars of goat milk soap waiting to be wrapped....knowing that one of our county commissioners and our state legislator are buying my soap because it helps their dry skin so well!!!!....
I am living my dream.....learning, living, doing.....there's so much more I want to accomplish....but I am LIVING, day-to-day LIVING my dream! and I am SO THANKFUL and so HUMBLED that so many of you on this forum and on the Backwoods Home and HomesteadingToday forums have helped me so much through the years as I've learned....
So as I continue living my dream....thank you all....thanks to all you "farm girls" for sharing your knowledge and so much more with me!
You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt! |
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countrykat
True Blue Farmgirl
85 Posts
kathy
paola
kansas
USA
85 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2005 : 11:13:45 PM
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I am lucky to have realized my "little-girl" dream about 18 months ago. My Husband and I found ourselves contacting a realtor regarding the sale of our cookie cutter house in the subdivision on the cul-de-sac. Couldn't wait to get out of there. So much so that we ended up moving out of that house three months before it was sold. So, the place we moved to is ideal. For us it was perfect. Big house, horse paddock, barn, shed, creek, lots of mature walnut trees and everything was in move-in condition. We moved in with our 4 dogs and 8 cats on Saturday and the 4 horses were moved on Sunday. We've since added a son and 60 chickens to our family. There is a lot more work involved in this place, with it's 13 acres, but it's good honest work.
Today my chores involved moving a 1100 pound round hay bale into the horse paddock (took a little help from the truck with the hay fork), feeding chickens, and weeding the garden. In the house I was found playing with my son, feeding and bathing him then working on a afghan for a special friend. It was a good day. |
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Kim
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
Kim
Pflugerville
Texas
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2005 : 5:49:02 PM
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My dream is to one day buy back my grandparents farm in Indiana. It nearly killed me when my dad had to sell it.
farmgirl@heart
Be at peace with yourself and the rest will follow |
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quiltedess
True Blue Farmgirl
296 Posts
Nancy
Priest River
ID
USA
296 Posts |
Posted - Jun 06 2005 : 08:58:00 AM
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My parents had to divide up the farm and sell it in the early '80s. It was a huge tragedy for us! The parcels were 20 to 40 acres. A couple of the people that bought and built there have really messy/junky places. But the people that bought the parcel with the house and barns actually ended up buying more than one parcel and it looks really nice there. Then when the farm behind him divided up, he bought 40 more acres. I'd say he's got close to 100 now and it is kept up very nicely. I just made an offer on a 10 acre parcel from that same farm that just divided, and hope to move back there. It's is amazing how strong the pull is . . . to go back . . .
We wore hand-me-down clothes too, but we weren't teased about it, of course it wasn't from our BROTHER. What we DID get teased for was the chicken poop on our shoes . . . we'd go out early to feed and gather eggs for our grandmother . . . then get on the bus for school . . . eewww!
BJ: I'm so sorry for the loss of your brother and the unscrupulous behavior of your brother's ex-wife. I think having a dairy is THE most difficult kind of farming, at least it WAS. You just can't take a day off from that! For a while we had 4 milk cows, not really a big deal, but our dear neighbors had a dairy and from my point of view, I was very glad that we didn't. :-) We had beef cattle and some early mornings were woken by the call "The Cows Are OUT!" We'd all have to throw on our clothes and run outside, herd them back in and fix the fence (but my dad did the fixing part). And then there were the times where we'd have bales of hay in the fields and it started to rain . . . we'd all run out and start setting the bails up on end (less surface area to get soaked) thank goodness we had lots of cousins to help (and we helped them too). And if I'm to be totally truthful here, for reasons I don't understand, we (the kids) really "loved" those times of crisis. It was actually fun. Because, I guess, we were all together and felt so productive. We really loved each other, and still do. And when we were finished with the chore(s), we ate . . . :-)
Nancy
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LadyCrystal
True Blue Farmgirl
593 Posts
Alicia
Rhode Island
USA
593 Posts |
Posted - Jun 06 2005 : 09:24:25 AM
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I grew up in a big city,I have always loved animals and always wanted a farm.I met my husband 5 years ago.I lived in Florida and he lived in RI.(long story our meeting is)Anyway my hubby grew up on a farm.
When we got married 3 years ago,our 54 acre place had chickens,since then we have added turkeys and beef cows.I always wanted to grow my own food.We raise all of our own meat.I always wanted a garden and we finally finished the gardens this past weekend.We planted broccoli,potatoes,peas,carrots,2 kinds of tomatos,peppers,spinach,cucumbers,pole beans,asparagus,and strawberries.
I still want to add some apple trees and a big barn.Right now we have 6 chicken buildings but I want a horse so badly but I want to wait until we get the big barn built.
I also am excited in two weeks we are going to get our heifer bred.She is going to our friends farm to be with their bull.We will leave her there for a week then bring her back home.
The stinky thing is we still both work full time,plus we both have part time jobs.My husband makes chicken carriers and we sell our show chickens when we have extra. www.gamebantam.com
I am trying to get a promotion so I can stop working the second job and have more time to work around here.It is tough though as much as I love it, we work 80 hours a week and don't get much of a break.
Alicia
Follow your dreams |
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sqrl
True Blue Farmgirl
605 Posts
Melissa
Northern California
USA
605 Posts |
Posted - Jun 14 2005 : 09:21:11 AM
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| Hello ladies, this is my first time in here and I just love hearing about everyones dreams. I find myself dreaming all the time about my farm-to-be. I believe I have all the blueprints built in my head, thats how much I dream of it. We are still a little ways away from acheiving it though, since my husband is still in school. But our very first step will began right after he graduates (hopefully next spring) we are going to join up with the WOOF organization ( or something like it) and begin learning hands on about organic farming. For those who don't known WOOF stands for Willing Workers of Organic farmers. You trade your work for room and board. We think it's a great way to start out. What do you guys think? I love that I found this little community here, it feels very nurturing. Blessed Be. |
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PJJ
True Blue Farmgirl
95 Posts
Paula
Bristow
OK
USA
95 Posts |
Posted - Jun 17 2005 : 8:22:56 PM
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Gee, my dreams have been changed so much in the past few months I'm not even sure anymore. I'm really "nesting" right now -- we found a little house, with not nearly as much yard/land as the one we bought last year, but enough for the kids and me. We added a parakeet to the mix in May, although the dogs are just about nuts trying to get him. One of the dogs got out of the kennel last week while he was out, so I'm revising my fencing plans, which may be for the best. If I make the fenced area smaller, I'll have more room for gardens that don't have to be dog-proof.
Eventually I would like to have a bit more "land," but only as much as I can work myself. I can't take the heat and sun much at all, it makes me horribly sick anymore, so I can't be out all day working. And I have to actually make a living!  Maybe an acre or so, enough for organic produce, maybe a small chicken coop (but only for eggs). Trouble is, terriers and chickens don't go too well together and I will always have terriers! I need enough room for training the dogs and letting them practice earthdog "go to ground."
I probably won't move again at all until the kids are out of high school; too much moving for them in the past year and we need to be close-in for all their activities.
What I *need* is to win the lottery!
Paula J.
Paula J., with Ty, Cara, Brody, Blue, and Fidget |
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BuckBellHill
Farmgirl in Training
32 Posts
Fern
Belfast
Tennessee
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - Aug 07 2005 : 10:33:16 AM
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I want my farm to be a learning community. I've been reading a lot about the Chataqua movement and it gives me inspiration to not let go of the dream. As a college teacher, I can't last much longer in the "traditional" system because it sabotages learning. I really want my own space to teach the way I feel is best and to require more of my students. I have a vision of small cabins where students hold discussion groups on different topics and a computer lab where students produce a community newspaper trying out new and innovative writing and publishing methods. There are so many amazing stories to be told in "rural" communities and my students believe all American life takes place in five cities. I want the students to stay in walled tents and experience a tad of labor and warm/cold air. I'd like to take away their cell phones and replace them with a pen. I also want flowers growing everywhere and a tea garden like they have everywhere in South Africa.
I agree it's the details that get me bogged down. I've had some great suggestions from women on this site about starting small and building up. It just feels so good to hear all of your dreams. Who knows, maybe I'll edit a book that tells the stories of farm girls at heart, from those growing herbs and making soap in their apartments to full scale organic farms!
Fern |
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Fabulous Farm Femmes
True Blue Farmgirl
792 Posts
Diane
Lakebay, Tacoma
WA
792 Posts |
Posted - Aug 07 2005 : 12:50:29 PM
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How many of you farm girls come from Non Farm families? My maternal granparents were both born on farms in the 1890's in Iowa, but they were in their late 70's by the time I came to live with them, and they never discussed the past.But it must be bred in the bone somehow. No one else on the side of the family I was raised with are anything but city people.
Our dream was to live on acreage in the country,as much for our children as ourselves.We liked living in our small town, but even a small town can seem claustophobic. When we moved 4o miles out into the country on our 3 acres they all thought we were nuts.They still do.
I can remember when I was 12, my Mom surprised me for my birthday with a "new" room, all done in 70's bold ogange graphics etc..I HATED it.As soon as I got a job at 15 I bought myself a patchwork quilt, added pale blue handthrown pottery with plants,vintage pillow cases.I learned to sew and embroider and quilt in high school.You get the idea. When my grandma died I asked for her Johnson brothers Rose Chintz china, which no one else liked, I still have it and cherish it. I love all things vintage!Am I a nut or a throwback? |
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Whimsy_girl
True Blue Farmgirl
576 Posts
USA
576 Posts |
Posted - Aug 07 2005 : 2:28:12 PM
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I come from a non farm family. My grandpa raised guinea hens and when he retired moved to minnisota to raise cows for a while, but I was never raised anywhere near an actual farm. I have one acre, which is still enough for a big garden and a couple of miniature donkeys who I look forward to adding to the family in the upcoming spring. I have 2 little girls and a turtle, some fish, a bull snake and my husband has a creepy nasty turantula that I hate.
We also have an apple tree a pear tree a peach tree and some sort of plum/cherry tree thing that we haven't decided what it is for sure yet.
We plan on getting a couple of dogs when the girls are at least 3 (that way they will be old enough to treat them nicely) of course that depends on what we decide in the matter of adding another baby to the family in a few years.
I dream of publishing my childrens book and having it do well enough that I can make a business out of it. I think at this stage in my life most of my dreams have come true.. I've been floating around in a blissful state ever sense we moved out here. I would love to find some sort of niche where I could find away to make enough money that my husband could quit his job and look for something he enjoys.. he's so smart, and good at what he does, but I would love to see him use more of his talents and be less stressed out in his life.
I think I would really like to get bees back behind the garden too.. he would love that too. He told me that if he had it to do over again he would have gone to school to be an entemolygist (SP?) (bug scientist)...
anyway thats all I can think of for now in the dream department.
you can be oh so smart, or you can be oh so positive. I wasted a lot of time being smart I prefer being positive. James Stewart in the movie HARVEY |
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hapyhrt
True Blue Farmgirl
129 Posts
USA
129 Posts |
Posted - Aug 08 2005 : 04:02:37 AM
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"Country" is just a part of who I am and always will be! Teased endlessly by siblings and neighbor kids about my love of simple things used to get me down but not anymore. My love of quilts,homemade decor, backyard gardening, old fashioned ways wasn't appreciated until years later when the quilts I was making peeked their interest. Soon others wanted a quilt of their own and I got busy sharing my handiwork. No longer teased I am admired for my patience in being creative, making do on very little and my trash to treasure projects!
I still dream of a small barn to breed and raise rabbits and have a horse or two. A large pond that attracts Canadian geese and mallard ducks has always been a wish of ours as well! Finances and physical difficulties holds us back but things have a way of working out and so hubby and I continue to dream, wish and hope. Miracles happen everyday, maybe today is our turn, if not then diffently someday soon! Ü
"Think HAPPY Thoughts...any others aren't worth your time!" Ü |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Aug 08 2005 : 08:41:30 AM
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My grandparents all were raised on farms. They all came to Calif during the depression (my grandparents were all in their late teens or early twenties and came with their large families...all four of them were among the oldest kids in the family. My mom's parents had a dairy farm while she was growing up so she was raised a farm kid. It was sold when my grandpa had health problems (ulcers requiring surgery) after the kids were grown and my grandpa finished his working years working as a handyman, welder, locksmith for the school district. My grandma was a substitute cafeteria lady. My mom was never intersted in being a farmer herself and neither was her only brother. My grandpa raised quarter horses and always had a few pigs, chickens and raised a steer now and then and guineas and things like that from time to time. Always the horses though..he LOVED horses. My grandma kept a big garden. My dad's parents got away from farming when they got to Calif. but still always had a garden and sometimes a family cow..and chickens. So I was not raised a farm girl..but always planned to be one.
Jenny in Utah
The best things in life arn't things! |
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grammy-o
Farmgirl in Training
25 Posts
Lisa
Greenville
WI
USA
25 Posts |
Posted - Aug 08 2005 : 11:56:36 AM
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My dreams always seemed so far away, now after reading all the stories and dreams of everyone else it helps me to realize how truly blessed I have been. 7 years ago, I was about to be newly divorced with 4 daughters,2 horses and a St. Bernard. My childhood dream was always to own my very own horse farm.
I was driving around the countryside, trying to figure out was I was going to do with the rest of my life and how was I going to manage it, when I drove past a small farmette For Sale By Owner. I stopped, talked to the woman who had bought it 7 years before when she got divorced, and was now married and moving. I rented the HUGE (3800 sq ft) house until my divorce was final and they allowed me to buy it on land contract. There was room for all four daughters, both horses, and the BIG DOG:)
Step into the future 7 years...still have the two old mares, and will til they drop over dead of old age (my daughter wants to have them stuffed and put them in my living room?)plus an additional 5 horses, one of which is a beautiful homozygeous tri colored paint stud that I just bought in April for the most wonderful man in the whole wide world.
We met a year ago, just bought another farmette, where I can take my horses to, and the big dog! Between us we have 6 beautiful daughters, 2 @ 20, 1 @ 19, 2 @ 18, 1 @ 15. He won't let me sell the old farm though. He says it's mine, I worked for it, I earned it and there is no way I am allowed to "give up on it". I guess, in the grand scheme of things, all my dreams are coming true....healthy kids and grandkids,the old farm, the new farm, the old horses, the new horses, and a 7 year old really big dog!! Ain't life grand?
Let's keep FARM LAND as FARM LAND! |
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Linda
Farmgirl in Training
32 Posts
Linda
Swanton
MD
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - Aug 08 2005 : 1:22:01 PM
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My grandparents moved to Western PA in their 20s from Italy and they had a 5 acre farm. They raised their own vegetables and fruits, canned them all summer and fed three families with them. They also had chickens. Since I spent the summers there, I helped them do all of these things and learned how to grow just about everything. My parents always had a small garden, but they had no intention of living on a farm. That was considered what you did if you didn't have enough money to live elsewhere. It was like my gradparents were raising their own food because they could not afford to buy it at the grocery store. My Grandfather worked in the coal mines and once he was disabled there, farming was all he did.
I grew up only eating their vegetables and fruits and have always found store bought food to be inferior in taste and quality. We were definitley spoiled by this - a good thing. Once I realized that fact of life, I knew that I had to get back to the land and that what they were doing was what I wanted to do. It was always hard work, I knew that from a young age. I used to help my Grandmother with her canning - on a wood stove in her cellar most of the day, as you had to do it when the vegetables were ripe - not at your convenience. Most days we were down there all day. They had huge gardens and we would spend hours picking and preparing things to be canned. Her cellar was filled with mason jars, anything and everything that you could "put up", dhe did. She also always baked her own bread - another thing I have always done.
But I am the only grandchild that has ever had any interest in this way of life - everyone else just wants to be comfortable and go out and buy everything already prepared. I'm not sure why it picks certain ones of us, but I sure am glad it was me. I have always totally respected them for what they knew and feel incredibly privledged to have been a part of it and learned it along the way. I consider it my heritage.
Linda |
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showmemom
True Blue Farmgirl
166 Posts
karen
carthage
mo
USA
166 Posts |
Posted - Aug 08 2005 : 3:59:27 PM
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my paternal side has been farmers as far back as we can go-farmers and loggers and gardeners. My grandfather had a "truck" garden of strawberries and peaches that supported the family. My grandmother's dad was injured working on the railroad during the Depression so the womenfolk stepped up the quilting and quilted their way through the Depression.
My maternal side is all business owners and city people. my mom moved with my dad to the farm when she was 21 w/4 children under 5 yrs. old. she'd never seen a snake outside of a zoo, didn't know how to garden and thought milk came from the grocery store. Within a year, they had a flock of 100 chickens for eggs, 5 breeding sows and 15 milk cows. talk about a rude awakening!
but i have never known anything but farm life. we have 60 acres in the rural Midwest; we raise exhibition bantams and waterfowl. Our kids have all been in 4-H and have had hogs and cattle; our youngest wants to add sheep but so far, her dad says a big NO to that.
my dream would include an apple orchard with bees; a small dairy goat herd to make my own artisan cheese and a clinic where i could treat patients using a wholistic approach and have time to really talk to them and not just give them 5 min. of my time and a prescription. Sometimes people just need someone to listen or tell them how to change their lives for the better.
so i'll get through school and then we'll work on the rest. for now i'm content with my dogs (Australian shepherds, min. dachsunds, and 1 chesepeake bay retriever), our chickens and the new horse my 12 yr. old got recently. dreams keep you going though.
talk to you soon-
karen
Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.
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hapyhrt
True Blue Farmgirl
129 Posts
USA
129 Posts |
Posted - Aug 09 2005 : 12:59:49 AM
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I really enjoy going back and reading through these stories of hopes, dreams and heritage. Thank you all for sharing, it inspires me to keep looking forward to unseen possibilities. I believe the old saying "where there's a will there's a way" is proven again and again in the stories of our lives!
Blessings~
"Think HAPPY Thoughts...any others aren't worth your time!" Ü |
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Horseyrider
True Blue Farmgirl
1045 Posts
Mary Ann
Illinois
1045 Posts |
Posted - Aug 11 2005 : 11:10:49 AM
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Jaqueline, having a Friesian stallion is an honor. Is he FHANA registered? Among my horse collection I have a Friesian yearling by Goffert 369, and have a stunning Gerlof daughter here for training. She takes my breath away; I call her Beauty because 'she walks in beauty like the night, of cloudless climes and starry skies, and all the best of dark and light meet in her aspect and in her eyes....'
I've lived on my little place for 22 years. We've had a couple of family cows, dual purpose chickens, pigs, and a huge organic garden. Now most of my energies go to the horses; there are six here, and I train at another barn a few miles away, too. I wish I still had time for all the things I love to do! I've mentioned a few times having chickens again, but hubby sort of makes a face. I have to agree with him that I'm already spread too thin, but gosh it was fun!
Right now I'm surrounded by croplands, but the suburbs are moving closer and closer. I shudder to think of having to move, but someday I probably will have to. I love my privacy, and the quiet of country life. |
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hapyhrt
True Blue Farmgirl
129 Posts
USA
129 Posts |
Posted - Aug 11 2005 : 12:30:09 PM
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It's been such fun reading everyone's story and getting to know you all a bit better. Ü When it was a horse farm next door the owner had 2 Friesian mares I believe they were and a colt. The mares were a beautiful dabbled gray/white and the colt all black when she first came to the farm and then began to gray within a short time. He kept them with his other horses, 2 Clydesdales, 3 Belgiums (brain biff, am I spelling that right?) and what he called a "sport horse", she was the result of breeding the most perfectly marked Clydesdale to a Thoroughbred. Why he breed her with him is beyond any reasoning to hubby and I but he did. The colt had the white socks of her mom and her mom's gentle disposition but was more energetic and at times down right fiesty when she wanted to be like her father we guess! It was a fun time and ya talking about Friesian's got me to remembering. Ü The owner sold off the horse farm several years ago, it has new owners but so far they're not keeping any livestock, darn! Oh well, maybe one day soon!
"Think HAPPY Thoughts...any others aren't worth your time!" Ü |
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Morning_Dew
Farmgirl in Training
17 Posts
Karen
cottageville
sc
USA
17 Posts |
Posted - Aug 19 2005 : 5:30:48 PM
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I have enjoyed reading all the stories. and some of you have such grand ideas. like the co_op count me in. right now we only have a bit over acres with a small garden and some bees, have the pond set up and waiting for a rainbow trout fingerlings to arive. Its to hot to grow them year round so can only grow from late septemebr till about may this will be the first we try raising them. the dream is...15 to 20 acres with fruit trees apple, peaches and pair, a wonderful organic garden (with raised up beds for draining)with enough extra to feel people around me that may not have enough. i also plan on an extensive herb garden to help my mother in law who makes herbal medicines. She is one of the few people in the usa that is certified to make and sell her herbal remidies.i also would like to start making bees wax candles and other oddities. a green house for growing things in the off season, and that won't grow well in the carolina heat.goats for making feta cheese and other goat cheeses chickens for eggs and food some rabbits for meat. and some flowers for cutting. they bring so much cheer to people when you give them a bunch of fresh cut flowers.
may all your dreams be blessed and full filled. and always be open to any new dreams for without your dreams life is not dull and cumbersome
every gardener should make time for the humming BIRDS and honey BEES, stop and smell the flowers. |
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Deb H
Farmgirl in Training
46 Posts
Deb
Glendale
Missouri
USA
46 Posts |
Posted - Aug 21 2005 : 08:09:45 AM
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WOW! You all really inspire me! I am a "city girl"...both my parents and I were born in Chicago, though I grew up in St. Louis County. I will be 42 this year and it has taken this long to figure out "who I am and what I want". My beau and I would love a country house on a little bit of land with a pond and some chickens. Problem is it would have to be a weekend place for awhile (so, no chickens...) because my daughter will be a Junior in High School this year and he and I both work full time and are still working out the details of our dream. But today we are going driving, just for fun and to see what we can see. My daughter thinks I'm crazy - I've always loved where we live, whichis right outside the city limits. But I love to sew and cook and I want to learn to quilt and can and I want to buy my produce from a local, organic farmer instead of the grocery store. I hate what the government has done to the small farmers and I have always loved "old things" - have been dragging my daughter to antique stores/malls/flea markets most of her life - you'd think that would have clued me in earlier on, wouldn't you?
Diane and Holly - when I read your post, I jumped up and went to my cabinet - I inherited some china from my grandmother and I thought it might be the same one you mentioned, but mine is Johnson Brothers English Chippendale in the Rose color. I love it also and add pieces when I can find them.
Deb P
"Well-behaved women rarely make history" - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich |
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A Farm of My Own: Everyone's story. |
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Everyone's story.
