It’s been 7 years now (I can’t even believe it) since I left my city life for a farm life. It was 10 years ago that I started this blog to help bring more self-reliance into my city life. Granted, I took the blog down for several years once I moved, even so, I could never have predicted the past decade and how my life would change. I went from being city-girl social to intensely reclusive, where I didn’t see or speak to other people for weeks at a time. And then, while in the depths of my hiding away, was plucked from obscurity by the worlds largest magazine. How they found my tiny blog only a couple months into restarting it is still a mystery – and ironic, considering I was formerly a publicist. People always ask how I did it, the truth is, I didn’t – they found me.
The resulting book (launching after the Presidential election) goes much more in depth, but in a nutshell, I fought major demons I wasn’t even really aware that I had, let go of the heavy blanket of sadness from my lost motherhood and found my life’s mission. It’s become my passion helping others free themselves, redefine their own “American Dream” and empower themselves through incorporating a little bit of farm life into their own lives. Self-reliance can change people’s lives in powerful ways and I’m a huge cheerleader for that.
Most people think farming is about cultivating food and animals. While that’s certainly true, the lifestyle is actually about slow living through presence and creativity. It’s about whole people and whole communities.
The farm/homesteading lifestyle is your morning coffee or tea ritual, it’s sitting in a quiet place reading, it’s learning new skills and being resourceful – but ultimately, it’s about caring for yourself in a way that benefits the entire community. It’s tactile nourishment of mind, body and soul.
Nearly everyone who contacts me is scared of making the same drastic change I did. What I want you to know is it doesn’t have to be this colossal move. You don’t have to give up life as you know it, you can start where you’re at! Incorporating bits of farm life, or self-reliance into your current life is easy. It can be as simple as learning a new skill, like knitting or adding an oxygen or herb garden in your apartment. For people lucky enough to have yards it’s even easier. The point is, you don’t have to scare the crap out of yourself and your family the way I did. Secretly leaving the city for a farm life when I’d never even touched an adult chicken and had no prior farm experience was a shock to the system and won’t work for everyone. Start where you’re at – and have fun with it.
In regards to the end of 2019 on the farm. It’s been far colder than usual. We just had about an inch of snow which most of the animals hated. lol I enjoyed a beautifully quiet day cuddled up with hot cocoa, my fireplace and book edits.
The animals were snug in their barn:
The twins, Hattie and Hazel were the only ones who didn’t seem to mind the snow, which is surprising since this is their first introduction to it.
A couple days ago I received a very nice pumpkin donation. The animals, as usual, went nuts over them. As cute as I think my fur and feather babies are, they turn into little prehistoric beasts when there’s food around. It’s been fun watching them go to town on the little pumpkin patch.
The last bit of news, I’m so happy to say, is I’ve finally found a mate for my sweet Sebastopol goose, Magnolia (Maggie). He’s being delivered here today from a farm in Kentucky. My main gander, Lucian, has never been fertile which has resulted in very depressed geese each spring. It’s been heartbreaking watching them work so hard to have a family each year to end up with nothing. The geese readily adopted the rescue ducks from south Florida which helped a lot but it’s time for new life to be born on this farm again. Hoping this new boy can pull it off. Nothing has been more amazing to watch than the love geese have for their little ones. Best dad’s in the world!
Here’s to bringing in new life! <3
