We are here in 2015 and most often when a new year hits making personal goals for the new year rarely happen for me. When running a farm I find it important to look at your farm and see what worked what did not and where you can improve. Sometimes even taking a leap of faith and trying something new that may work very well for your farm and family. ( Which we are trying something new here on the farm and will share once they are tucked into the farm!).
It has taken me a bit longer this year to see if there needs to be changes on the farm this year. Honestly, My days seem to have run together for some reason and thinking of what needs to change or stay has been a bit tough. I will give it a go and just say what I am hoping the farm will look like this year. It is hard to look at other farms sometimes and not grade your own efforts, I have slowly been learning that our family is not like very many people I know so why should my farm be?.
When I started out with this farm it was "hobby" a place that I could go to that I felt was mine. I seem to share everything in life with at least 10 other people at a time ,so, I wanted something I could do that although one would think would be just as hectic, I felt like it was "my" hectic. However, sitting with pigs and eating lunch is very therapeutic!. So, I guess I could say that I did not intend to be a "farmer" just a mom looking for something to be a little mommy selfish with!. Any mom who hides in bathroom to eat the last bit of skittles you found, should completely understand.
Well with bringing on the chickens that kinda morphed into the beautiful ducks that you are teased with on Saturdays at Poultry swaps and those cute loud birds that are just a little bit ugly but sure do take care of the ticks that love to roam our property!. I can say that before adding these I did a lot a research just for cute quiet birds and with that accidentally learned a lot ( if there is such a thing). Here I was looking to have a cute mini farmer's fence and wanting to fill it with all little things beautiful just so I can go out and look at them when my brain felt a little rattled from my everyday duties of being mom/wife/human.. Little did I know that over the coarse of 4 years my eyes would be opened to a new idea, a new way of living, doing things a bit more naturally.
So, what does all of this have to do with goals for 2015?. Well, with all of this accidental knew found knowledge of how you can naturally take care of pests on your farm, without stressing about going to the store to buy my big jug of bug juice. Or, realizing that for the past 4 years I have been living in the middle of my very own pharmacy. Not to mention that feeding this crew can and has been a bit expensive ( we have paired down a lot and made things cheaper and still healthy!) who knew you could actually grow your own food?!. Plant and animals!. As I must admit my heart strings do get pulled as I have a hard time NOT naming everything that is breathing here. If I can stand in the store and look at the "meat" section and spend hundreds of dollars into just one product, not knowing who was in charge of making sure if was processed safe..I have to ask my self, Why am not capable of doing this?.
My goal this year for the farm.. is to rely on it more. My goal for this year is to share with others what I have learned. My goal for the farm this year is to produce grass fed, gently raised meats that others can enjoy on their table. My goal for this year on the farm is to learn new things, I have always wanted to make my own body soap!. Other goals this year is to introduce those who have always wanted to try to "farm" and to help those who want to add some pretty birds to their farm, I have some, why not share?.
We will be working on growing our meat herd and even adding different breeds to the farm that intrigue us and others, knowing they would love to have on their property as well. We will be focused on growing our chicken flock to get eggs,so we can have some farm fresh eggs available to local customers who want some for their table. This year I will be focused on producing all things farm for the mini farmer or those who just want to know where their food comes from.
This year we look forward to working harder. Says every person who has a passion and wants to see their efforts grow and see others smile!.
It has taken me a bit longer this year to see if there needs to be changes on the farm this year. Honestly, My days seem to have run together for some reason and thinking of what needs to change or stay has been a bit tough. I will give it a go and just say what I am hoping the farm will look like this year. It is hard to look at other farms sometimes and not grade your own efforts, I have slowly been learning that our family is not like very many people I know so why should my farm be?.
When I started out with this farm it was "hobby" a place that I could go to that I felt was mine. I seem to share everything in life with at least 10 other people at a time ,so, I wanted something I could do that although one would think would be just as hectic, I felt like it was "my" hectic. However, sitting with pigs and eating lunch is very therapeutic!. So, I guess I could say that I did not intend to be a "farmer" just a mom looking for something to be a little mommy selfish with!. Any mom who hides in bathroom to eat the last bit of skittles you found, should completely understand.
Well with bringing on the chickens that kinda morphed into the beautiful ducks that you are teased with on Saturdays at Poultry swaps and those cute loud birds that are just a little bit ugly but sure do take care of the ticks that love to roam our property!. I can say that before adding these I did a lot a research just for cute quiet birds and with that accidentally learned a lot ( if there is such a thing). Here I was looking to have a cute mini farmer's fence and wanting to fill it with all little things beautiful just so I can go out and look at them when my brain felt a little rattled from my everyday duties of being mom/wife/human.. Little did I know that over the coarse of 4 years my eyes would be opened to a new idea, a new way of living, doing things a bit more naturally.
So, what does all of this have to do with goals for 2015?. Well, with all of this accidental knew found knowledge of how you can naturally take care of pests on your farm, without stressing about going to the store to buy my big jug of bug juice. Or, realizing that for the past 4 years I have been living in the middle of my very own pharmacy. Not to mention that feeding this crew can and has been a bit expensive ( we have paired down a lot and made things cheaper and still healthy!) who knew you could actually grow your own food?!. Plant and animals!. As I must admit my heart strings do get pulled as I have a hard time NOT naming everything that is breathing here. If I can stand in the store and look at the "meat" section and spend hundreds of dollars into just one product, not knowing who was in charge of making sure if was processed safe..I have to ask my self, Why am not capable of doing this?.
My goal this year for the farm.. is to rely on it more. My goal for this year is to share with others what I have learned. My goal for the farm this year is to produce grass fed, gently raised meats that others can enjoy on their table. My goal for this year on the farm is to learn new things, I have always wanted to make my own body soap!. Other goals this year is to introduce those who have always wanted to try to "farm" and to help those who want to add some pretty birds to their farm, I have some, why not share?.
We will be working on growing our meat herd and even adding different breeds to the farm that intrigue us and others, knowing they would love to have on their property as well. We will be focused on growing our chicken flock to get eggs,so we can have some farm fresh eggs available to local customers who want some for their table. This year I will be focused on producing all things farm for the mini farmer or those who just want to know where their food comes from.
This year we look forward to working harder. Says every person who has a passion and wants to see their efforts grow and see others smile!.