New Beginning

Hello!

My name is Kate.  I'm starting this blog to share about the new beginning my family and I have embarked upon.

THE DECISION

For the last nearly 5 years, my husband and I chased our tails to try to get ahead through a career change that was supposed to yield us the income to purchase a farm.  Unfortunately, while hubby's career change was wise and well thought out, he was under the control of the contract job placers and they kept sending him on long distance jobs instead of the local ones he requested.  The time (and money...lots of money) spent trying to fulfill those contract jobs so far away caused such a heartache and financial burden for hubby and our family.  So, in a bold and brave move, my husband left his career for a lower paying ( local and much more satisfying) career and we decided to start micro farming our little slice of God's creation.

WHY ARE WE CONSIDERING WILDFLOWERS

Through those last few years, we faced many challenges and God was faithful to provide.  He charges us to consider the wildflowers in Luke 12.  He took care of us then, so He'll take care of us through this new venture.  Also, the verse fits well with our desire to forage (our 7 F's above).

WHAT'S UP WITH YOUR 7 F'S

Faith:  We are born-again Christians.
Family:  We are working together as a family unit and consider family very important.
Friends:  We love having such a diverse and interesting group of friends who enrich our lives.
Farming:  We have a heart for farming and decided we don't have to wait until we can afford acreage to farm.
Frugality:  In order to make it work, we have to be frugal.  Plus, frugal is earth-friendly, too!
Foraging:  Why buy new when you can get it for free; from food to supplies.
Farmacy:  Farmacy means using herbs, foods and natural ways to heal.  (We are not against modern medicine, but we don't over utilize it either.)

WHAT IS MICRO-FARMING?

Micro-farming is simply farming on a very small scale.  Some call it urban farming, but we live in the country, not the city or even the 'burbs.  I'm not sure exactly how big our piece of property is, but I estimate it at around 1/2 an acre.  One day I'll measure it to find out for sure.

TODAY'S DOIN'S

So, today, the first day of Spring, we start this blog and this new venture - our micro farm!

Currently, it is cloudy, cold and snow and ice still cover the ground.  Hubby doesn't start his new career until Monday, so he spent the morning hauling slab wood over from the neighborhood sawmill.  Some of the wood will be cut for firewood, but the nicer pieces will be used in making the pigpen.  In April, we should have a shoat (weaned young pig), so we need to get a barn up and a pigpen built.

My task for the day is comparing prices and availability for some of our spring plantings and garden order.  There's so much I want to buy, but we only have so much space!