Farm Life

This is from a friend of mine, who is, as she puts it, 'living totally store free- on a farm, and at peace.''  I thought it would be a nice follow up to my post from yesterday, since it describes the life I want for myself and my kids PERFECTLY.  She sent this to her old homeschool group here in Michigan, just to tell them how they were all doing and describe the new life they were living.  I am so happy for her, and so jealous!!  :-)

'I want to move on a farm too and be with like minded people!!'


All this talk has made me think about how we are living now....I already did that-- and LOVE it. We butcher our own cows, hogs, pigs, chicken, turkeys, ducks and pheasants. We have fresh cow milk daily (and goat but none of us really like the taste too much- use it for cooking and cheeses) We make our own bread, cheese, doughs (for pizza, pies and stuff) and eat all chicken, pheasant, and duck eggs. It is sooooo easy- and waaaayyyy cheaper. All our animals are pasture (grass fed only!) with hay added. They also drink right out of the creek! Never knew they could live like that AND get fat-- but they do!! So-- no feeding or watering ever! Except for the pigs and hogs who get our table scraps. Just have to open chicken coop up in the morning than close it at night- chickens and all birds know to go in to avoid coyotes at night. Never knew farm life could be sooo easy. The neighbor butches all animals for us- and we package it up ourselves- so we just pay for original purchase of animal- and that's it. And now with baby chicks, pigs and cows- we don't even need to purchase them again! Have three freezers FULL of all cuts and kinds of meat- for about $500 total- Well worth it! EVERYONE out here does it-- they call it living on self-sufficient farms. We also have apple, plum, peach and pear trees- and now growing oranges and lemon-- hope they take! Also have strawberries, rasberries, blueberries, all kinds of beans, potatoes, corn, tomatoes, three different squashes, ect.. My sister still has a pantry full of canned stuff from last year- jellies, meats, veggies- ect... No added anything- sugar, preservatives, ect... She said her and the neighbor canned one day to get all that- it lasts over a year! And they had a fun day too! And my sister is an advid beekeeeper- so we have honey fresh every day- very beneficial to our health. She also grows all her own herbs ( the legal ones lol) pepper, parsley, sage, thyme, ect... She has over 30 of them. Including her own wheat field! We don't even grocery shop- really we don't - Well ocassionaly- when my kids whine for drinks like pop and such. (Our only guilty pleasure left. Otherwise we are pretty organic now I guess.) Tried this week to make our own butter and ice-cream-- both great! I love the health benefits- but moreso I love the cheapness of it all. I get steaks, pork chops, ribs, bacon, hamburger- for close to nothing- just the price of the animal and hay-- and not even going to a store! Really understand why people are doing this! Good luck to all of you who are trying to live this way also-- amongst "city living" I absolutely love having the space and opportunity to be able to do this!!

And since I moved her I have been feeling guilty that my children haven't done much schooling. But then I realized in one months time they have... Gathered eggs, watched baby chicks hatch and held and fed them, had baby ducks, had tadpoles turn into baby turtles, fished in the creek daily, had caterpillars turn into butterflies and let them loose, milked a cow, and fed baby cows a bottle, learned more about and cared for and fed horses, cows and pigs, gardened- and learned about spices, vegetables, fruits, cooked (learned math and science there) caught fireflies in jars at night, learned about bonfires and how air helps keep the fire going, ect... And once again I realize life is a constant lesson- and even if your not formally schooling them- they are always learning so much- just by living- and you being there right along with them. As a former homeschooler here told me- we are teaching our children life-lessons and how to be self-sufficient in life. And let me tell you- these homeschooled farm kids can and do work! It's just a "normal" way of life for them- and now us too:)
Just a little hi- to all my friends back there- and as you can see we are doing fine:) Take Care- and we'll be in touch........

I love it!!!  Farming is not for everyone, but to some there is no other way of life.  I feel it in my very soul.  I have wanted a farm since I was old enough to learn the difference between farm life and city life.  And I want THIS kind of farm.  Cows, pigs, chickens, bees, vegetable gardens, wheat fields, orchards...I could go on and on.

It seems like such a faraway dream, but Cheryl had written me to tell me that it's all possible.  God is so big!  If it is in accordance with His Will, He will make a way for a mom and her babies to live the farm life.  And then this country girl can blog all about it.  :-D