Random Thoughts

18 months to two years - I know it will go by fast, but for the moment, it seems like forever before we actually move. So, here are some ramblings on "what I would do with 15 acres" and what type of land I might desire.

---

• Grow enough corn to feed me, my chickens, my pigs and even enough to share with some of the wildlings
  
• A green house
  
• Dragonfly perches
  
• Grow hundreds of sunflowers
  
• Grow open pollinated plants and save seeds
  
• 1/3 woods, 1/3 pastures, a large, fenced garden
  
• pond
  
• piles of leaves
  
• brush pile and other natural habitats (to house the very critters I am trying to keep out of my garden!!!)
  
• Heritage breed livestock
  
• tracktored chickens
  
• Rotational pasture
  
• large compost pile
  
• apple orchard
  
• small mixed orchard of pears, peaches, nectarines
  
• hedge rows
  
• potting shed
  
• Wisteria
  
• arbors
  
• day lillies, bearded irises and daffodils
  
• gazebo
  
• hot tub
  
• solar water heating
  
• back yard bbq big enough for roasting a pig
  
• fire places
  
• rolling hills
  
• small arms firing range
  
• rifle firing range
  
• large trees
  
• morning glories
  
• "wild flower" area
  
• water barrels
  
• catfish
  
• huge library
  
• home made bird feeders
  
• chicks
  
• goats
  
• "Misty sunrise in my home town, rows of cotton 'bout knee high..."
  
• tree pruning
  
• tile
  
• raised garden beds
  
• stone walls
  
• small red barn
  
• fencing, cross-fencing, electric fencing, wood fencing
  

---

By the way, the photo is a picture of Ozark Beauty strawberries, mulched with shredded junk mail and tinged red by early autumn frost.

Some Day...

Although still very far from this dream, we have at least broken free from the chains of the suburbs and at least now live on a few acres in a rural community. This is, howeve, just a stop-gap measure as we are both still working full-time, demanding jobs and there is nothing farm-like about this place, other than we mostly own a lovely Case-New Holland tractor (Ok, we mostly own it; CNH Financing still owns a little bit of it) and we have a big "metal building." At least I have a garden and a few fruit trees. And space between us and the neighbors... But what we really envision are 15-50 acres of green rolling hills, a wood lot, perhaps a seasonal stream, a few pastures, an orchard that is more than just 2 or 3 fruit trees, some milk goats, some laying chickens, a pond with some catfish, a bunch of dogs and perhaps a few sows. Organic methods. Fresh tomatoes, rambling pumpkin vines, rolly-polly zucchini - home grown foods for livestock and people alike.

Of course, it won't be all "golden afternoon lighting" and "rose colored glasses" - I have already lost over $100 of small trees to voracious rabbits (The Rabbit Wars are in full swing!) and been without water for 3 days due to poor planning. And seed saving and goat milking and chicken chasing all take time, energy, nerve and know-how. I can't do anything about time, energy or nerve right now. But I can at least start acquiring ideas, other people's thoughts, resources and etc. to both start me on the path to some basic knowledge and to help me keep the dream alive. So, although we are years away from Moving To The Promised Land, I will gather here notes, plans, hopes & dreams, resources and other miscellaneous items that may be of use as we move towards our future. And, in the mean time, I will try and take advantage of living in a rural area and experiment as best I can with some of these ideas.

Remember: Most of the stuff here will be ideas that I have gathered from others - and much of it will be untested. It is hoped that I will maintain this blog over the years and eventually start testing and implementing some of these ideas and then be able to post these "events from the farm." In the mean time, I will try to at least include some "events from the rural home & garden."

To Gene Logsdon - Thank you for the inspiration. I am looking forward to trying many of the ideas put forth in your numerous books and articles along with some ideas of my own that you have inspired.