February 02, 2012

Not so Restful Winter

Where has the month gone?? 
Although it is supposed to be winter around here, and things were supposed to have slowed down, I can tell you that right now things are anything but slow.

When we are farming full time, it will be our goal to take the months of December and January off.  The animals will be cared for, but that will be it!! Feb 1st will be our start date.

So what have we been busy doing??

I've been painting the trim in our living room, trying to complete my winter house project. Do you know HOW MUCH trim is in a 150year old Victorian room??  A LOT!!!!

We have been reading, reading, and reading some more. To be honest, I've been reading so much about sustainable farming, permaculture, and beekeeping, that I don't have much left in my brain at the end of the day to write!

I've begun training for my first marathon in May. Running 50kms a week takes time.

We have been trying to spend more time with the kids tobogganing, and hanging out.

My husband still works a 60 hr a week day job AND works the farm.

We are also busy planning our 2012 season. This year we are hoping to find ourselves at the farmer's market, and I'm about to attempt a much larger garden than I've ever done before...so I need to plan seed purchases and sow them!

Our chickens will be out on pasture, and we would like to purchase our first swarm of bees, which means construction of a few things as well.

I have to admit that Adam and I are super excited about the future around here. We are patient and are taking one year at a time knowing we can just  snap our fingers and have the farm the way we would like it. We are all too aware of the reality that we need to be living completely debt free in order to make a living as a farmer and to live off the land.  We have a plan to get us there in 10-15years, but I'll tell y'a. That feels like a VERY long time right now. 

All in due time I know. It is so hard having a dream and a plan however and watch my husband go off to work outside of the farm. Our hearts are here and I can't wait until the day we are fully 'home' full time.  

So that is it for now. I am going to try to chronicle what I'm up to. Today you will find me in my pj's reading the 'Barefoot Beekeeper', and 'You Can Farm' while keeping the babies quiet while Adam sleeps (he is working nights...oh how I hate nights)

Till then,
Alyson

As a side Note:  My spell check did not recognize the word permaculture which goes to show you how non mainstream we are trying to go. 

2 comments:

alltheprettythings said...

Good to have the dream.... being patient while it all works out, or more accurately while God works it all out, is such a hard thing....

Busy busy busy....in the end, all worth it I am sure...

Painting trim-literally would rather poke myself in the eye with a sharp object-I hate to paint!! and trim, so hard not to make a mess.....good for you for taking it on!!!

Kaitlin@Homemaker Design said...

Oh, I so understand! The painting, the reading, the dreaming.... we too want to live off the land and I also hate that my hubby has to leave home to work! :( And yes, I have a 150 year old home and OH the trim!!! ;) lol! We are actually selling so that we can move forward on living in the country and farming - not quite as large scale as you are doing but farming none the less. I'd love to hear more abou the bees! Hubby wants goats but I think bees would be amazing! :) Anyways, keep your focus on Him in all things! He will keep you and guide you! Blessings on the year ahead! :)

PS> thanks for posting your reading list, we're looking into books to get to help us get started, so I'll check into these! :)