I think we might look back on 2017 as “the crazy year in my mid-30s that we said to hell with doing it by the book.”
Go big or go home, right? Sure we had a FOURTH baby on the way (umm… still not entirely used to that one!) but last summer we took the plunge for something we’ve been saving towards for years. Years my friends! WE BOUGHT A FARM. And we didn’t buy just a little bit of countryside (although it is undoubtedly small compared to a true farm!), but 13.5 ACRES.
At the moment I can’t manage my .5 acres of suburbia. The weeds overtake the veggies every summer in the only garden that gets full sun. It’s about 7×17 feet. How on earth do I plan to take care of 4 kids and farm/homestead/manage 13.5 acres? I haven’t the slightest idea. My mom once bought me a drink coaster that said “jump and the net will appear” and told me that was me in a nutshell. Funny, right? Because it’s true. And here I am waiting for my net … the one that can save my sanity from four kids age six and under … the one that can magically reveal a method for managing this dream farm.
When we bought the land last summer it was unimproved. It has a 1.5 acre pond and .5 acres of woods down by the road, but the rest is pasture. And I mean ZERO trees or big shrubs except for the big Cedar tree that marks the corner of the property, and that Cedar tree is pretty stoic out there between our fields and our neighbor’s tobacco. In November we planted three Maple trees on top of the hill, and last weekend we loaded up the kids and planted about 20 raspberry canes and the six blackberries that made it through winter. We’ve been out to the farm several times since Bodhi arrived for picnics and camping and because running through an open field is so amazing! Someday we will probably build a home there, but for now we are going to try and plan the property’s future and tend it when we can. That said…
I have big dreams!
We’ve tossed so many ideas around for years and years, based on “what if” we ever buy some land. There’s wine grapes and a small winery since we’ve been making wine here at home for about six years. I’ve always wanted some farm animals, but then again I love to travel and want my kids to see the world and don’t want to be tied down to the demands of livestock. We do eat 5 dozen eggs a week, so chickens are probably a definite. Maybe some sheep? Because hot dang, that is a large amount of pasture to keep mowed without large livestock. Lately I’ve been falling for the idea of pick your own berries. There are two PYO blueberry farms a mile up the road. Blackberries? Raspberries? A permaculture orchard? Or maybe lavender. For cutting/selling and for photography, because who can resist taking photos of their kids in a field of lavender.
Do you want to take a tour? Of course you do! Here are some photos from right here in the beginning. Follow along as we decide what on earth to do next!
PS: Below is a Mimosa tree in one of two fenced pastures. We were SO excited they had something to climb on!
A two month old Bodhi. The only thing between us and the distant road.
In our family we have a tradition of making my husband homemade chocolate peanut butter cup ice cream on father’s day. The way to that man’s heart is through any combination of peanut butter and chocolate, something I’m fairly certain my kids have inherited. Usually we stick with regular chocolate when we make ice cream since it’s something we only do a handful of times per year. But a few years ago (when Harris Teeter discontinued making John’s favorite kind of chocolate PB ice cream, ha!) we opted to do it up, and it was AMAZING. We whipped up some plain chocolate ice cream, swirled in some peanut butter, and added peanut butter cups. It was TO DIE FOR.
Converting a Soffit into Gorgeous Trim
This morning Larkin ate a black crayon in the two minutes I sat down to be productive. She walked over and grinned with black teeth. We used to have a Boxer who did that all the time, but he would eat the colorful ones and wind up with rainbow poop. But days that start like this, they have me craving comfort food. And when I’m pregnant, all I want is something sweet, salty, and amazing. While I try my best to steer clear of sugar, I definitely struggle to find healthy snacks. My other issue is making sure I get enough calcium, and believe it or not, a girl can only eat so much cheese. I make yogurt for these food-loving munchkins of mine, but it’s plain and SO much better with some of our sweet and salty favorite paleo granola on top!
two and we started spending some serious time in the sun, I began researching sunscreen. Almighty there is a LOT to learn about sunscreen if you want to be sure it’s safe! I’ve spent my life slathering on the Coppertone, but now that my sunscreen choice was affecting my babies and their health, we started splurging on the safe (and expensive) options. We tried many that were rated a 1 or 2 on the 
Place all ingredients in small saucepan on low-medium heat. Once it begins to steam, stir constantly to mix all ingredients. As the strawberry juice and arrowroot start to jell, it may stick to the bottom. Add a bit more water. Stir every few minutes until you can mash the remaining berries, about 15 minutes total. Remove from heat and let cool a few minutes before pouring over the pie.