A lot of things have happened in the past year +. I have a new blog located at http://www.seekingsimplicity.org/farmjournal and a brand new one at http://www.2lezfishfarm.com
I hope to “see” you all there!
Archive for the ‘changes’ Category
unlocked
Posted in changes on November 17, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Signs of the Times
Posted in changes, community, tomorrow on June 4, 2009| 10 Comments »
This is this has been utterly ridiculous. Every time that I try to login I get booted out. The connection is so slow here that I think I may have hand crank internet connection…. It has taken me two weeks to be able to login here. The connection doesn’t actually take 2 weeks. I simply get tired of waiting!
Anyway. All around us we have been noticing signs of things getting worse. The other day I woke to hear my husbands voice (for real — he was here. I was not daydreaming). He was speaking to sawmill after sawmill. For the past few years we have purchased our wood, slab wood, from sawmills. The wood was great — it was the leftover pieces from milling. We weren’t cutting down trees and were burning waste. Each of the sawmills that he called were closed. One local sawmill told us that they had not milled since January. There is limited construction taking place. This means no need to mill wood. It run this means no wood for sale for burning. This was the same tale told by all the sawmills around us.
We decided to go to our old house (on the market but not sold) to move part of our wood to this house. We pulled up and noticed that the pile was markedly smaller. Someone has been stealing out wood! We loaded a lot of it into the truck and stacked it at the Amish house.
The same day we read in the newspaper that someone stole 4 solar panels off of a neighbors house. You have to remember that we live in a sparsely populated area. Thus a neighbor is anyone within 10 miles or so. Well, this neighbor was only about 2 miles away. Someone crawled onto their house and unhooked the solar panels and stole them.
An Amish friend told us about people starting to steal chickens. A friend of his lost over 100 chickens in a few month period. The place is predator protected, but not human protected. I know that there are a number of people around here who are unemployed or underemployed. It is assumed that some people are becoming desperate.
And to top it off, we received a notice that our propoerty tazes were going up 30%. Odie called to inquire about this. He learned that our state is in such deficit that taxes are going up for everyone between 15-30%. This is the way that the state will be making up some difference. Uh huh. We’re taking on the debt!
Other than that, I am continuing weeding daily. I can’t believe how fast the weeds grow! Our strawberries are coming in and I ate the first juice warm strawberry the other day. It was wonderful! I have been cooking almost exclusively in our sun oven. I have learned a lot.
Have there been any interesting occurrences in your neck of the woods? Have people been responding to this economic crisis?
Falling Dollars
Posted in changes, economy, Peak Oil, simple living, tomorrow on May 25, 2009| 24 Comments »
May 24th
This morning I made a great breakfast of cornmeal+ rye waffles and scrambled eggs. The kids devoured everything.
Odie and I are trying to decide what hard goods we should get before the dollar tanks. I hope we can go over a list when he gets home in a few days. This time he will only be home for 4 days, which is disappointing, as last time it was 8. A week seemed to be perfect — we all got into the groove together. I finally felt that we were acting like a family. The 2-3 day visits were simply that — a visit. A couple days to party, but not to have a real family life. It was not “normalcy.”
The house is in terrible disarray at the moment and the kids refuse to clean their rooms. Well, Z-man is refusing to do anything that I ask of or tell him to do. I don’t know what to do anymore. Some have advised spankings, some have advised grace, some have advised removing privileges, and some have advised ignoring his behavior. He has some behavioral issues and now is very defiant toward me. He will listen to Odie, but if I say a word he turns off his ears. it can be so difficult!
E-girl, on the other hand, although she doesn’t do all of her chores, she has adopted the role of a country girl. She takes on any chore that happens to do with the animals. Feeding or watering? She’s there. Rescuing stray chicks? She does it before I notice. I am impressed with how well she has adjusted and seems to love it.
Mad-town is a typical 15 year old. She does enough to skate by (barely), but seems to count the days until she can move back to the city…. If she only understood that the city may not be the same city in a few years….
Mount Laundry is now finished. Well, it was — until I found that the kids had taken the clean sheets from the house and used them to build forts in the dirt outside. Yup. More laundry.
Anyway, I worry about hyperinflation. I think I worry about that more than peak oil at the moment. There may be oil, but will our dollar be able to buy it? Will our dollar be able to purchase anything? Is hyperinflation looming? What things are in our future? This past year has been interesting and frightening to watch. It makes me want to be more prepared — planting extra, choosing items that will last long term, and living more simply.
Garden:
Yukon Golds poking through
Today I weeded the upper garden and walked through the lower. The lower has a bundle of activity! I love watching things sprout through the ground. It makes me feel a sense of awe at the miracle of life. From a tiny seed comes so much.
Weather: hot (upper 70s) and sunny
Dinner: tortillini with garlic and olive oil and salad (olive oil and balsmic vinegar dressing).
And It Rained
Posted in changes, garden on May 23, 2009| 7 Comments »
May 22
Yesterday I was frantically tilling and planting the garden. The forecast predicted rain. The rain didn’t come. So, today I carried water to the upper garden (yes — up a hill) in order to give my seeds a nice start. There is no rain predicted for at least a week. Then at 5:00 this afternoon the drops started to fall. And for about 2-3 hours it rained. It rained and rained. I was thrilled that my gardens could get the much needed moisture. I was simply sad that I spent time carrying water when I could have waited. Oh well.
I have never been a farmer. In fact, I was barely a gardener. A few years ago, I couldn’t seem to get anything to grow. My husband can attest to the quality of dead houseplants and the botched vegetable gardens. Three years ago, when we decided to simplify our lives, I decided to get serious. I dug up the back and front yards and planted vegetable and perennial gardens. I had success, but still relied on the farmer’s market. The following summer we moved to a farm and I planted a rather modest vegetable garden. We moved into the house in July. I did not get a garden in until late July. We had a beautiful harvest, but it was still short. This is my first year growing from early season throughout the year. I may be taking on more than I can handle (especially with our lack of reliable running water). However, I have hopes that I can get enough food to feed ourselves for a year.
This is the upper greenhouse (on the hill). In the foreground is a strawberry field (white flowers). The greenhouse is approximately 30x20
The greenhouse tomato plants are beautiful and large (mid calf).
Tomatoes in the Upper Greenhouse
This is the little greenhouse behind the house. Currently full of spinach.
Today I watered the greenhouse plants as well as the gardens.
Laundry was placed on the line. The kids didn’t take it down before the rain. Let’s see how long it stays up this time!
School: Z-man took a spelling test and worked on grammar, E-girl focused on vocabulary and phonics, and Mad-town took another Science test.
Dinner: Friday night is Pizza night! We are having our neighbor 21 year old and his fiancee over for pizza. They have done so much to help me, and I wanted to do something for them.
What is Success?
Posted in changes, faith, family on May 14, 2009| 16 Comments »
During the past few months, we have struggled with finding ways to get water into the house, learning to heat and cook with wood and live much like our ancestors did. This struggle has an incredibly high learning curve. Yes, our grandmothers and great-grandmothers may have been successful at living like this, but for those of us who are novices, it is difficult and can be a challenge. When we are learning so much at such a quick pace, other things slide and fall.
We may have learned that we can be successful at lugging about water and cooking on a wood stove. We may have learned that we can wash our clothing by hand and grow our own food, but what is the cost? While I was focusing on learning to do so much without, I have learned that I have ben failling in the rest of my life. I have been so focused on being a success as a pioneer woman, that I forgot what it meant to live a real life. Those skills that my grandmother and great-grandmother had were built over years of trial and error, not as I have been trying to do (alone and without experience).
What have I learned? That we can do all of these things, if necessary, and may continue to do some (as necessary and to keep skills). However, while we have running water, and a nearby laundromat, I will use those. I have accepted kitchen appliances from a generous friend. I have learned that being successful does not mean a glorious career nor a pocketful of useful skills (proving that you can do it all), but rather in the health and happiness of a family. I realize that I need to slow down and find real success. For me, real success is no longer outward pride, but it needs to be focused on my family and relationships with my spouse and my faith.
I may continue to write — about learning how to do without and how to adjust to a new life, but I want to refocus my priorities. Success starts at home.
Proverbs 31:10
And it runs
Posted in changes, community, simple living, Skills on April 16, 2009| 17 Comments »
Yes, we have made it 4.5 months without it, but now it has been added to our household: running water. Cold and hot!
The other day a neighbor kid (about 20 y/o) got tired of watching the kids and me carry container after container of water into the house. Every time he would drive by he would see one of us lugging a huge container of water from one spring house to the house. Snow, sleet, ice, sun, and rain, we were out there lugging water. We were as reliable as the post office.
He came over with an electric motor, took a part the jerririgged system that the Amish put together and replaced their system with an electric motor and extension cord. This pushes the water from the springhouse into a pressure tank in the basement. Once the tank is full, the water overflows into the hot water heater (left behind by the non-Amish previous owners). Of course,this is all makeshift, but will suffice for a time. I am excited that I don’t have to have a fire going simply to heat water for bathing and dishes. If things get bad, I am okay doing it all again. At least the past (nearly) 5 months have shown me that we can lug our own water and that we can heat it for all of our needs. This was better than a 72 hour test of our skills becuase it became a way of life.
This temporary fix of water is simply that — temporary. We hope to get a ram pump installed, or some other system that can be used without electricity. However, for the time being, I am eternally grateful to this young man and his fiancee who spent two days here helping us figure out water. He refuses payment, but he will be paid in kind. I will find a way to help them. This is the kind of thing that builds community.
Building a Marriage
Posted in changes, faith, family, tomorrow on April 3, 2009| 32 Comments »
When many of us marry, we join hands and make promises to one another, not fully understanding the gravity and seriousness of the decision. We celebrate a wedding with family and friends, but once the extravaganza and honeymoon is over, what we have left is a marriage. When we grow up, there is much focus on that one day — a white dress, beautiful flowers, tears of joy, dinner, and a cake. We have a lot of information on how to buy a wedding, but little information on how to build a marriage.
The focus had been on the wedding celebration, but not on the decision to be together. The marriage is more than one day of partying — it is a decision to be together and support and compliment one another. The decision to marry is serious, but many of us turn our backs when times get tough. It is easy to walk away.
A few days ago I was to be filing for divorce. Then a week ago, miracle happened — I decided to forgive my husband. He came home earlier this week and we had a chance to spend time together. I was still wary, and the first day went poorly. This was in part due to my own uncertainty of his change.
Things changed on the second day. I came over to his house to get his help with a project. We were discussing certain issues regarding the children, and I suggested that we not discuss in front of the children. So, we walked downstairs to discuss in private. Instead of yelling, pointing figures, and placing blame on me, he held my hands and we calmly discussed the issues at hand. I spoke of my own failures and his strengths and he spoke of the opposite (his failures and my strengths). He kissed me on the cheek, gave me hugs, and spoke warmly. The entire discussion took place while holding hands. It was not until after the calm discussion did I realize that we had had an “argument.” Not long ago, this discussion would have been angry and contentious. It would have consisted of angry words and tears. Instead, it was a discussion that came to a mutual decision.
Later in the afternoon, another situation arose, which again would have been contentious with our 15 year old. She had taken the truck and backed it up into the garage (literally). There was a lot of damage done to each — the truck and the garage. Instead of anger, there were hugs. Instead of yelling, there was explaining. Instead of humility, there was teaching. I was in awe. I asked him of this change. He told me that although his knee jerk reaction is still to be angry, he realized that anger does not solve anything. He realized that at one time he was 15 and had made poor choices. His father yelled and was angry; which only built resentment. He told me that as he spoke to her, he thought about how he would speak to Christ, if he stood in front of him. Would he yell and be angry? How would Christ have dealt with the same situation (if he had a 15 year old daughter who drove the truck without permission and backed into the garage)? It would not have been with anger. He told me that although it is difficult to unlearn all that he had learned as a child and an adult, that he wants to make this a life-long change. I want to trust and believe in him.
I realize that we are starting from scratch and that this past turmoil is still very raw in our lives. It is hard to unlearn things that we had built together — reactions to one another, expectations, and negativity. In the day we spent together, I realized that we have need to build a marriage built on mutual love and compliment. Where he has strengths, I have weaknesses. Where I have strengths, he has weaknesses. The changes that he has made are overwhelming and positive. We hope to be moving slowly together in effort to build a marriage that will be an example to our children. I want my children to look at our relationship and see that a marriage is more than a wedding day — it is a commitment to each other and willingness to make changes and work together to build a solid foundation for the family. One cannot have a marriage alone. It takes two — looking ahead in the same direction. It also takes friends and family who support the foundation of marriage.
The Future Realized
Posted in changes, garden, tomorrow on March 24, 2009| 19 Comments »
I have been thinking a lot about what I want to do with this land and with my life. Now that my personal life has changed, I feel that the doors to the world, which were previously barred shut, are now open. I can make some choices.
For years, I have been dreaming about growing herbs, culinary and medicinal, for my household uses. When we moved to the previous farm, I planned a medicinal herb garden, but had a great deal of resistance from my spouse. The dream never materialized. I thought about returning to school to become an herbalist or a naturopath, but again, herbal medicine was not favored in my household.
I don’t entirely disagree, I know that there are times when herbs cannot solve problems. I realize that antibiotics and traditional medicines have their place and can serve a function. When my son had a staph infection, I was grateful that western medicine could treat him. Sometimes, however, I wonder if we have become too dependent upon traditional medicine. Our televisions tell us that we need to have certain pharmaceuticals. We are led to believe that only a certain medication can solve our problems. This is not always the case. When I feel a cold or flu coming on, I take herbs to help myself keep the illness at bay. I eat whole foods to keep my body healthy. I make whole body choices to keep check on family history of cancer and heart disease. I know that there are people with chronic issues which are dependent upon western medicines, but any of us can make changes and use natural choices.
We have now entered into very uncertain times. Do we know if we will have medication always available to us? Will the prices rise even higher as our incomes fall? What will happen to the availability of medications over time? We simply don’t have answers. I do want to be able to serve my family and my community.
As I stand on my land and look at the greenhouses and multiple garden plots and acres of fields, my dreams are becoming real. I spoke to a friend yesterday and in our discussions realized that this is what I want to pursue; herbs, herbal medicine, and the education to support it.
contemplation
Posted in changes, family on March 22, 2009| 43 Comments »
I don’t know what has been happening to my internet connection lately. Every time I attempt to post, it either won’t save or posts in a way that cannot be seen. It is very frustrating. This post may simply be a futile attempt at a post.
Things have drastically changed around here. Well, in some ways, yes and some ways no. My husband and I separated. It wasn’t like he was around here much anyway — he worked away and was only home 1-2 days a month. So, in that sense, there is no change. He is not home. However, there are drastic financial changes, as his income is about 20x that of mine. Of course, he agreed to help, but that increases it slightly. I will be able to pay for this house. Yes, I get to keep the Amish farm, without heat, running water and all that. I do get to keep the firewood that was harvested at the other house (and can still move it here). He gets the house that was on the market and hadn’t sold. I guess that is a blessing.
I was used to doing all of this alone, but now it is truly alone. I don’t know how I feel about this. It is a mixed blessing. When he was home he was unkind (took his stress out on us), but it also a new hardship and a time for confusion and contemplation.
So, how do I continue? Well, I have 5 children who count on me. So I continue. I need to find additional ways to make income. Since this farmer’s market is going to take off, I may see about using that as a way to increase my income , but what to I grow/make/bake and sell? There are many questions before me.
He bought me out of his corporation and the LLC (the farm name). So now I will have to think of a new name for this farm. Suggestions?
low impact has high impact
Posted in changes, going Amish, Peak Oil, simple living, Skills on February 26, 2009| 18 Comments »
We have only been living this low impact lifestyle for almost two months. It is a tremendous amount of work. The work has had an incredible impact on my life and body.
Every day I need to carry approximately 25 gallons of water. I carry the water containers about 100 meters from the spring house to the house. I also have to carry the wood which we use to heat the house, water, and that which is used for cooking. Almost daily I pick up a truckload of wood from our old house to bring to the new house. I hope that this wood we are harvesting will provide us with our needs for the next 1-2 years. All of this is a lot of work. It has also been a wonderful blessing to my body. Our Amish friend told me the other day that I do the work of both a man and a woman. Yes. I do. As the only adult in the house, most of the work falls on my shoulders. I dole out some to the kids (they carry a share of wood and water, but not as much as I do). There are days that doing all of this work is the last thing that I want to do. I may get overwhelmed, but I realize that it still needs to be done. I simply do it. So much of this lifestyle change is impacted by our attitude.
How has this low impact life had high impact? It has been remarkable to watch the change in my children — they do not watch television, instead they play, build, and create. They make up silly songs and help each other with their schoolwork. They build teeter-totters out of bricks and planks of wood. They jump into hay piles and pull themselves up on ropes. I am teaching them to play the guitar and violin. We sing and dance together. Yes, they still argue, have spats, and ignore mom from time to time, however, the impact of removing them from the fast paced technology inspired life has been tremendous.
The other remarkable change has been in me– both in my body and soul. I have never been terribly out of shape (I used to run 10+ mile races on a regular basis). However, I have noticed recently that my body has changed. Carrying all of that water has given me biceps and triceps! I have dropped clothing sizes and have a wonderful surplus of energy. I no longer need to schedule exercise, as it is a part of everyday life. I find that I am calmer and happier than I have ever been. In part, this is due to the feeling of security and the knowledge that my physical strength is growing. I know that my pantry is full and that I can do this all.
I have often wondered how my family and self would respond to a difficult peak oil/economic situation. I knew that I can prepare my home, but I worried about preparing our selves. This has shown me that we will be able to adjust and manage. It is more work, but it can have tremendous rewards. This low impact life has had wonderful impact on my life!
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