I have a problem. A farm problem. Namely, that I
don't have a farm. Really, at this point in my life, there is nothing I
want as much as just being able to support myself (or a family) with
good foods, happy animals, and handicrafts. That's it. The zenith. The
pinnacle. My biggest dream. And before you go telling me all about how
farm life isn't glorious, it's poopy, and muddy, and labor-intensive,
let me tell you that I know. I know. I've been through it all. All the feces. All the death and carnage (chickens manage to get themselves eaten
so often.) All the waking up in the middle of the night, or the
crack of dawn. And I still love it and want it more than anything. Being
involved with farms has been the most satisfying aspect of my life so
far. My degree doesn't hold a candle. I'd rather wake up every 3 hours
to check on pregnant ewes and experience the absolute endorphin rush of
bringing new life into the world any day.
In fact, if I could just trade my degree for a few ewes and some land, that would be great. Because, therein lies the problem with my farm dream: all my education and working since I was, oh, 15, has gotten me no closer to being able to attain my farm dream. Farming, unfortunately, needs heavy investment upfront. I neither own capital, nor qualify for loans. Sometimes it's no fun being single, 25, and a woman in a ridiculously low-paying position.
So what do I do? Do I spend the next 5 years going through grad school so I can get a job that would give me enough income to either be able to finance my own dreams, or at least qualify for a mortgage, only to find that the job that allows me to pay for my dreams also keeps me from having the time and energy to fulfil them? Do I sell my soul for acreage and a hog?
I have yet to do either of those things. Not that I haven't thought about both. Instead, I've been living a pseudo farm life and living vicariously through other people's joys, in real life and in the blog world. This is not a joke. I sit in my office, in a $1,000 ergonomic chair that gives me sciatica, and I dream of having 5 flat acres to call my own, hauling around hay, feed, and poop all day. I also do slightly more sane things like keep chickens on a friend's property (they used to be in my yard until I moved to a townhouse), have an angora rabbit in my room for fiber purposes (and adorable bunny snuggles), grow whatever I can in pots, and try to support local agriculture where I can. I said slightly more sane.
A CSA share for me probably wouldn't be worth my while (I'm weird about what veggies I like, I would want to have the choice), but I do grow what I can and hit up the Richmond Farmer's market when I can drag myself out of bed that early (I'm a night shifter.)
And today, I crossed a new threshold of my farm dreams: I paid for my very first cow share. BLISS. What's a cow share? You're basically buying controlling interest in a cow, and in return for your $25 a month for boarding and feeding, you are *gifted* a gallon of raw, unpasteurized, unhomegenized, glorious, glorious milk. Gifted, because selling raw milk is illegal. Glorious because LOOK AT THIS.
Wishing you all luck with your dreams too.
~Sarah
In fact, if I could just trade my degree for a few ewes and some land, that would be great. Because, therein lies the problem with my farm dream: all my education and working since I was, oh, 15, has gotten me no closer to being able to attain my farm dream. Farming, unfortunately, needs heavy investment upfront. I neither own capital, nor qualify for loans. Sometimes it's no fun being single, 25, and a woman in a ridiculously low-paying position.
So what do I do? Do I spend the next 5 years going through grad school so I can get a job that would give me enough income to either be able to finance my own dreams, or at least qualify for a mortgage, only to find that the job that allows me to pay for my dreams also keeps me from having the time and energy to fulfil them? Do I sell my soul for acreage and a hog?
I have yet to do either of those things. Not that I haven't thought about both. Instead, I've been living a pseudo farm life and living vicariously through other people's joys, in real life and in the blog world. This is not a joke. I sit in my office, in a $1,000 ergonomic chair that gives me sciatica, and I dream of having 5 flat acres to call my own, hauling around hay, feed, and poop all day. I also do slightly more sane things like keep chickens on a friend's property (they used to be in my yard until I moved to a townhouse), have an angora rabbit in my room for fiber purposes (and adorable bunny snuggles), grow whatever I can in pots, and try to support local agriculture where I can. I said slightly more sane.
A CSA share for me probably wouldn't be worth my while (I'm weird about what veggies I like, I would want to have the choice), but I do grow what I can and hit up the Richmond Farmer's market when I can drag myself out of bed that early (I'm a night shifter.)
And today, I crossed a new threshold of my farm dreams: I paid for my very first cow share. BLISS. What's a cow share? You're basically buying controlling interest in a cow, and in return for your $25 a month for boarding and feeding, you are *gifted* a gallon of raw, unpasteurized, unhomegenized, glorious, glorious milk. Gifted, because selling raw milk is illegal. Glorious because LOOK AT THIS.
Yes please.
Why is it more orange-y towards the top? That's the cream that's
risen. Holy god. I ate it with a spoon. Miriam is my cow's name. Today I
went and met Miriam, and even gave a good effort into milking her (she
was almost totally dry though. Her weaned calf is apparently not really
weaned.) Even though it was 9 in the morning, pouring rain, and I was in
a barn, it was, again, one of the most satisfying experiences of my
life. Feeling warm cow under your cheek and smelling wood chips and
fresh milk is probably the best way to start any day. I so admire Lisa,
the farm owner. I want to be her. I just hope that all my dreams aren't
stifled and shut away, like dreams often are. Hopefully the chickens
will keep me on my toes ;-)Wishing you all luck with your dreams too.
~Sarah
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