Since the last post...

We've had a lot going on since the last post.  Lots of good things and things that have tested our patience.  Ultimately, though we've been reminded of how blessed we are and how faithful God is to provide for our needs.  Here are the high points

fresh eggs - breakfast for the morning

We've become the stewards of 8 Rhode Island Red chickens (pictures to follow) which provide us with daily eggs and a lot of entertainment.  They are gentle, friendly, and very curious.

Within the next two weeks we should take ownership of 16.5 acres of wooded land at which point we'll begin to observe and interact with the property to form a whole systems plan.  We hope to build a little cabin in the woods this summer and make the move to simple country living (VERY simple) within the next two to three years.  Once we live on site, following our permaculture design will be much more feasible.

The early crops are in in the garden, and the seeds are all laid out with planting dates (weather and freak frost permitting).  We've added a few new raised beds and with the addition of our acreage we'll be growing more than ever.

young broccoli ready to plant out

peach tree, grape vine and elderberry

This afternoon we received a box from Stark Bros. Nursery with the beginning stock for a food forest planting we'll be undertaking on the property: two apple trees, a peach, hardy Issai kiwi vine, three grape vines, blueberry and elderberry bushes.  We also visited an Amish produce auction and picked up 24 heritage raspberry plants (at the delightful price of $1.00 per pot)  We had a chance to visit several Amish families in the area and chat with them about how they live simply in their communities while surrounded by a culture that has vastly different values.  It was a great trip and the first of many to their community:  We've got a lot to learn.

A lot more has happened - including lessons on how no matter how willing a seller and buyer are to do a land deal, everyone from lawyers to bankers to the people who have to permit EVERYTHING under the sun have to have their pieces of the pie cut just how they like them.  We've been reminded over an over again to honor our kids in the way we make this huge culture transition from the world we live in to the world we hope to live in.  It's not easy for anyone to make a paradigm shift and we want to respect our children as we lead the family in a new direction.  Perhaps the greatest shift has happened as we've begun to homeschool our two oldest children (the youngest tags along for as much of it as a one-and-a-half-year-old can manage).  It was the next logical step really as we work to do more life together.  We've got a long transition ahead of us - ultimately we hope to see our homestead grow into a place to live and a place to provide our livelihood.  Tag along for the ride...I'll post when the spirit inspires me.