Thursday, January 23, 2014

Why Farming

Right now, while its near to or below zero degrees in most, if not all of Maine, I am seriously questioning my decision to farm.  Its only a passing thought though, especially as I am perusing the seed catalog cozied up to the wood stove in the dining room at night.  All kinds of people have asked me why farming? and it has gotten me to thinking about my decision to farm.  Farming doesn't make you a lot of money, it does however pay you in so many other forms
.  In regards to my farming choice, I have to say it goes back to being a kid.  Some of my earliest memories are of farming experiences.  For example, my parents and my uncle used to raise chickens for meat.  I can remember going over to their house, and while my dad and uncle were in the basement doing chores, the kids would lay on the floor upstairs and stare down through the big black grate in the floor at the peeping chicks.  Their little fuzzy bodies milling around in the what seemed like a giant homemade pen.  I can still recall the sound of the peeping down in the basement.  I can remember raising meat rabbits in the basement of our apartment building, and turkeys.  I recall, one ill fated chicken slaughter day.  My dad and his brother had raised some meat birds together, my mother and aunt did the cleaning of the hens in the kitchen, and the kids ran the headless chickens up from the coop to the house and shoved them through the window.  On this day, I saw my first headless chicken run around the yard, after being dropped by one of the kids hauling it to the house.  I am pretty sure I screamed.  Seeing a headless chicken run is quite a scene.  I remember the call to Dad, to see if he wanted to bottle feed a baby piglet.  The runt of the litter was being pushed out, and Dad having a reputation as a softie when it came to animals in need, set out to bring the piggie home.  I can remember the box in the living room with the little piglet in it.  These reasons and many others like it are why I want to farm.  There is something to be said about raising your own food, working the land and seeing your root cellar full to the brim with a bounty that you had a hand in producing.  I feel like being a farmer will continue to mold me into a more caring and understanding human being.  When you have a farm and raise animals, on a everyday basis you deal with a range of emotions and situations.  During kidding you have real highs, and super duper lows, the key is to take the experience for what it is and move on.  Don't dwell on the sadness of a death, or live birth.  Be thankful that you have more good than bad.  You have the highs of the first bits of spinach poking out of the dirt, and the first cherry tomato coming ripe.  The lows of a drought or an onset of disease or bugs.  The circle goes round and round, but in the end its probably one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.  I think I am really appreciating it more and more, especially this winter.  My husband has challenged me to put away most, if not all of the food we will need to get through the winter next year.  My heart is a flutter at the challenge, as I know its a daunting one, but it is my intention to come through with my end of the deal.  The thought of potato bins and boxes of apples, canned meat and veggies in the root cellar, frozen goodies and cold frames for the freshest of produce when we want it.  I am beyond excited to get started. So for me, this has been part of my makeup since I can remember, I continue to daydream about the picture perfect little farm in hopes that someday I will see a photo spread and write up of my farm in Hobby Farming Magazine.  I am practicing the art of being thankful, and feeling abundant and those feelings come so much more often in the midst of a farm and growing and producing your own food.  So folks, be thankful, for even the tiniest of moments in your life, you never know where it might bring you, or what feelings or passions it may bring to the surface.  Never forget where your food comes from, buy fresh and buy local.  You could be getting your food from...............
the friendly female farmer...

Thanks so much for reading, and I will chat with you again soon.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Blogging is harder than it looks....

Really, seriously...this is harder than it looks, or sounds, or seems...however you look upon this endeavor I have undertaken, its not a really easy task.  First off, It is not my intention to try an influence anybody who reads this blog.  For example, I don't write about politics or religion.  My beliefs are my beliefs, and I honestly feel as though that you my readers are not affected by what I do or believe.  I don't want to offend people or upset them, so I have really been  sticking to positive, upbeat and comical type blogs simply as entertainment.  It would be my intention to make people as happy as I can by reading this silly little missive.  This is also the place that I talk about my dreams for the future, and where I discuss options for the farm, and how we will proceed with our goals. This blog is about who I am, and what I intend to do with my future as a farmer, as a chef, as a wife and hopefully someday soon a mother.
This is my first blog since arriving home from Ireland.  That experience has touched me in a way that is hard to explain.  I will not deny my homesickness while I was there.  I honestly wanted to come home early and just say hell with it.  I am so glad that I didn't, because I got to have some incredible adventures, meet some fascinating people and friends I will have for life to be sure.  I in all honesty am now homesick for Ireland.  I could go back and never leave.  Its a wonderful country, one I will not soon forget.  While I have been home, lots of things have happened.  Mostly lots of thinking about my recent past experiences, and how I am going to move into the future as a farmer and a chef.  I know you have heard me talk about this subject before, and by all means if you are bored...move onto another blog...however, I have been told that if you want to see your dreams come to be a reality, you have to talk about it.  To as many people who will listen to you.  To think about your goals in a positive way, to think as if these dreams are currently reality.  So this is my intent.  To talk about what it is that I am passionate about, what makes me tick and how I intent to make these dreams come true for me and my husband, and our little piece of heaven in Casco.  So as things begin to move forward, I will share all the excitement.  My first really exciting step toward acquiring the title of Chef, will be partnering with a local bed and breakfast to do intimate dinners and small parties.  I am so excited to step forward into this new role, that will most definitely bring me closer to the dream of having a little gathering place at the farm...Please stick with me folks.  I am so proud to say that over 2300 people have viewed my blog and I am thrilled that the interest seems to keep going up.  Please share with your friends and family and please by all means post comments.  I would love to hear your feedback.
In positivity....Your friend....
the friendly female farmer.