Some people are born into farming, some happen upon it, others find their way back, and others are still dreaming and plotting. I was ten when my family moved from wide open space to a small twenty house development. Endless bike rides down dirt roads, having animals as your friends, and climbing pine trees came to a halt. I now had neighbors and kids to play with instead of goats and pigs. Fainting goats and potbelly pigs to be precise. I grew up on an exotic animal farm that also served the community as a Christmas tree farm. Our house was part of the big red barn that sat on the property. When my great uncle bought the farm, part of the barn was re-modeled into living quarters.
Yes, you can say I was raised in a barn.
Ha…the more I look at this picture it reminds me of those awkward family photos. Please don’t add my family to the list!
My parent’s responsibility was to oversee and maintain the property. My early childhood consisted of animal births, helping with the routine feedings, having a pet fawn, and taking random antlers to school for show and tell. Many planting seasons were spent waiting in the grass watching and “helping” as my parents and the farmhands replenished the trees that were cut during the Christmas season. These things shaped me as a child. They were woven into the fabric of who I am today.
Even though I moved to a development I was still surrounded by corn fields. My bus route went down rural roads and past many farms. I would stare out the window dreaming of the farmhouse, barn, and horses I would someday own. Of course I also dreamt of the blonde haired-blue eyed boy I would call my husband and the little ones running barefoot.
Was I a dreamer? Yes, and I still am.
All good things take time. I waited forever for that blond haired-blue eyed boy to arrive and when he did I clearly heard God speak to me saying, “This is my gift to you.” Brook is my rock, my supporter, and my encourager. He lets me dream big, but he also keeps me grounded. He can see my visions and he refines them for me. Life is much more fun with him.
I am coming to realize that my dream of having a little farm, husband, and some farm kids really isn’t a dream, but a desire. One that God placed on my heart as a child. God sets desires on our hearts for a reason. When He knit us together, he also designed our purpose in this life. How amazing! It only makes sense that He gives us desires and talents to complete our purpose.
From the moment we heard this property was for sale, we felt a gentle nudge to move forward in pursuing it. Like most of the properties with some land, it was out of our price range but we walked by faith. God walked with us along the way speaking to us through the highs and lows of becoming the owners of this little farm.
We are now questioning things like….
What is our purpose here?
Why did He bless us with this place?
How is He going to use us here?
I started this blog in 2012 to use as an online journal for friends and family afar. This year Brook and I took another step of faith to build this blog for others to learn and to share in the simple homesteading lifestyle. We started raising our own food seven years ago simply because we wanted to have a connection with it. We did not know that it would be called homesteading or even become such a desired way of life for so many people. Farming has so many faces today. We may not have a 100 plus acre farm, but we have enough land to micro-farm for the needs of family economy. We simply think of it as an agrarian lifestyle; the way our grandparents and great grandparents lived not that long ago. We understand people desire this lifestyle because it offers more rewards than material possessions could ever offer. There is a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction when we sit down at the dinner table knowing that our hands helped to provide what is on our plate.
We get it! It is an amazing feeling!
God instilled a desire for me to teach. Once a teacher always a teacher; now instead of standing before a classroom full of children, I teach those of you who desire to learn about real food, sustainable farming, and nutrition. I am excited to see how God uses this piece of land to bless others.
I hope we can support you through your own homesteading journey; whether it is here in this space or locally when the time comes for us to be equipped to give classes. Thanks for visiting; I would love to hear from you. Just say hi or leave a message with questions you might have.
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Thanks for your patience as I am still finalizing little details and links.
Blessings,
Sarah
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