...you plan.
I spend a lot of time laying on the couch. They aren't really doing anything, except making me uncomfortable, but I have lots of Braxton Hicks contractions and my feet keep swelling. So here I am with high hopes and ambitions for the summer. The last few summers have not been conducive to my little farming experiments. In the summer of 2005 we had Maria. In summer 2006 we lost a baby. I forget what happened in 2007. I think Kevin had more cardiac issues. Last year, in 2008, I had morning sickness. THIS will my farm girl summer. I am so excited about it.
The seed catalogs and canning cookbooks are inspiring produce we hope to plant. Poultry catalogs make us want Guinea hens (they eat loads of bugs and poison ivy), turkeys (we envision our own bird on the Thanksgiving table), new layer chickens so they will start laying as our old ones slow down, and meat chickens. (The meat birds were a pain to raise but, oh such good meat for the freezer!) I am even contemplating how to build a pigpen to raise a backyard pig for slaughter. I understand they make wonderful hams and bacon and I found information on rendering your own lard.
I'm pragmatic enough to realize that ALL my plans won't come to fruition. There is only so much time and energy available. But if we do a little more each year we'll keep learning and progressing towards the little farmette we hope to have. And what great schooling for the little, and not so little, farmers!
You sound like me, planning! We have thoughts of laying hens here this spring and a huge garden. I just hope the 11 year old is up for lots of weeding this summer because I will be in the lying on the coach stage by then :)
I pray things continue to go well for you and enjoy the catalogs, dreaming and planning!!!
Posted by: Michele from Illinois | February 16, 2009 at 09:14 AM