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When winter slips in, everything slows down a bit. The farm is still alive but things are much more quiet. It’s a good time to reflect and plan. It’s a time of happiness and rest. I return to my projects indoors and start dreaming of my long days outside. This year has been a return to the winters we all remember, I am doing my best to enjoy it. ❄️🕯️
24 days ago
Our newest additions! A few months ago, our family lost a really dear friend. He left behind two boxers, Boudreaux and Slick. Aldo loved his dogs and he gave them the ideal dog life. We knew they needed to live somewhere they could still be together and have plenty of room to roam. The farm seemed to be the best option. Nayan and I took Boudreaux and Mal and Tony took Slick. They have been such a fun addition to the farm. Boudreaux is learning to live with cats and Slick is learning how to attend Emery’s afternoon tea parties. It’s a different life for them but I think they are turning out to be perfect farm dogs. Grieving Aldo has been hard but having these guys around has brought us all so much joy. ❤️🐾
27 days ago
Giving thanks for a very pleasant fall season. We were able to plant over 4,000 garlic cloves, seed the greenhouse, layout our orchard, plant our kiwis and enjoy our saffron blooms.
about 1 month ago
This summer was good to us. The heat provided great growing conditions for many of our veggies. I finally grew bitter melon successfully! Now that summer is wrapping up and the heat is fading, it’s time to get back to building stuff.
4 months ago
Farm blooms. 🌻🌸🌷🪻🌼
5 months ago
We harvested some of our Calendula. It’s one of my favorite flowers to grow. We are experimenting with herb and tea blends this fall. Send any recipes you think I should try!
We were really looking forward to the lavender eggs. I guess his new name is Earl Gray. 🙄🐓
6 months ago
We’ve been spotting all kinds of fun birds on the farm. Yesterday I found this guy splayed out in the road, refusing to move. At first glance, it appeared to be an injured swallow. Luckily after closer inspection, I discovered it was a juvenile Chimney Swift. Chimney Swifts cannot perch, hence the splayed out position. This guy was just learning to fly in a precarious location. I gave it a quick pep talk and it made an impressive flight into the next field. You don’t get to see these guys up close very often. They spend most of their life in flight. Chimney Swifts are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, so in most situations it’s best to leave them be.
We’ve been working hard. The farm is slowly growing. Building pathways, harvesting scapes, capturing swarms, building fences, installing irrigation, planting so many berries! We are tired but happy.
After a full day in the office, this guy is out on the farm with me. If he’s not putting up fences or building a structure, he’s helping me get things watered or fed. I couldn’t have found a better person to do this crazy thing with. Thanks for always showing up as my partner, a good father and son. Happy Father’s Day to all the men who know how to show up for their people. 🐓
7 months ago
You can spot us on the road now. My dad has been working on this sign as a gift for @nhajratw and finally finished it. We love it.
Update on Crow. We have a very toxic relationship. 😂
It’s chick time on the farm. 🐣
9 months ago
Snapshots of April on the farm. Garlic, tractors, chickens and all the other wild things. 💚
We built a greenhouse and it took longer than this video makes it look. If it wasn’t for Nayan, I would have ditched this project weeks ago. Who you have standing next to you matters. A big thanks goes out to @nhajratw for always keeping things positive. ⬅️ Not my strong suit, especially in cold weather. 😁
It’s been a while since we’ve had a rooster. The last roosters we had, were the sweetest. That’s why I wasn’t too upset when Crow revealed himself to be one. I think roosters can be a great addition to a flock. Luckily, the hens seem to like having him around. Unfortunately he does not feel that way about us. Any suggestions on how to deal with a feisty rooster? I have been forcing cuddles and haven’t backed down from a fight. Any other tips?
10 months ago
Trying to appreciate the little things in these heavy times. Happy spring equinox! 🪺🌷🐝
Yesterday was good. I got up early to watch the lunar eclipse. It was a much needed quiet moment. We moved the bee yard and started the foundation for a greenhouse. Fingers crossed the bees don’t hate the new spot.🤞
For the first time in a long time, we have eggs. I can almost feel the spring weather blowing in. 😎
11 months ago
It’s that time of winter that seems to drag on and on. It’s always so nice to see the girls out doing cleansing flights. A little reminder that spring is close and I get to hang out with my bee soon. 🐝
Yeah, it’s a Rooster. 😂 #rooster #wouldyalookatthat #thattheresarooster #roosterboy #rooroo #chickensofinstagram
Is it a Hen or Rooster? We thought we purchased all hens last fall. 🤨
Seeds orders have arrived. Garden bed planning is underway. Check out @natureandnurtureseeds for local seed sources. We are lucky to have such a cool resource so close!
It was an exciting day yesterday. Thanks to @natureandnurtureseeds we were able to get some garlic planted this season. We lucked out on the weather and planted our first crop in 50 degree weather.
about 1 year ago
The last few months on the farm.
We added to our flock last week. It’s been a long time since we had chicks (and ducklings) to love. They have been a ton of fun. Can’t wait for them to meet the old ladies. 😆
over 1 year ago
We made it! It’s been three weeks of unpacking, building, and organizing. We are still living out of boxes, but we don’t care because we are HOME! Getting here took almost four years, it was a wild ride. Thank you to everyone who helped get us here, there are many. We love you.
The final coat of plaster went on a couple of weeks ago. It looks beautiful. We owe a big thanks to so many people for helping us get here. If you put hands on this house, we are forever grateful. Can’t wait for the final finishes to wrap up. We are so close!
Chicken coops and chicken heads. Chickens got an upgrade today. 😎 Can’t wait to move them into the new place.
It’s been a while since I posted a build update. Lots of fun things are happening around the farm and we can’t wait to be there permanently. Siding is going up. The final coat of plaster will be going on. Our bookshelf has taken shape. Tile is finished in the bathrooms. Wheat has sprouted from the leftover straw. 😁
We finished planting 200 native trees and shrubs on Friday. It was just in time to drive back north and catch the lights. Most of the plants will be deer food 😂 but we hope a few will make it.🤞🏻
I had some help planting trees today. 💚
I moved my apiary to the farm yesterday! This will be my fourth year keeping bees. It’s been a real learning curve. Anyone that keeps knows the challenges all beekeepers face (especially new beekeepers). Climate change, pesticides, varroa, the list goes on and on. I’ve made a ton of mistakes but I am learning from them. Here’s to a new year and a new chapter in my beekeeping journey!
We are walled in! Underneath the drywall is hvac, plumbing, electric and cellulose insulation. This brings us into the final phase of building. 😎 Happy Spring!
almost 2 years ago
We have windows! Winter has slowed our progress but it hasn’t stopped us. More pictures soon. 😎
We chose a metal roof for a few reasons. For our region we believe it was the most environmentally friendly choice. Most metal roofs are made with some recycled material and can be recycled when it is replaced. A metal roof is wind resistant(we have a lot of wind), handles snow and ice well, and is energy efficient. They have longevity and we also like how they look. The other reason is, we want to harvest rain water and traditional shingles leave harsh chemicals that will contaminate the rain water.
about 2 years ago
The house is making a lot of progress. We have a roof! It’s studded out and we are ready for windows.
We officially have new neighbors! 😎
We have been racing the season changes. Luckily, the weather has been pretty mild. The cupola is finished. We were able to get the walkways and patio set before winter. The pergola went up too! We wanted something to sit under on our back porch because we love the view. The only issue with that is, the patio is on the south side of the house. We didn’t want to lose the passive solar. Using a pergola solves that issue. Next is the metal roof.
The brown coat is finished! It took us four days with lots of help from friends and family. We learned a lot doing it ourselves. The first big lesson is, wear good waterproof gloves! Lime plaster chemically burns skin. We did wear gloves but they were not the best quality. The second is, don’t worry about getting it perfect. We certainly did not have any experience working with plaster but we were able to get the job done. The third is, don’t be afraid to ask for help! We would still be out there plastering if we didn’t have our community out there.
We applied the brown coat a couple of weeks ago. Once again, our community was very kind and showed up to help. Between workshop friends and family, we finished in about four days. We were racing the weather and on the final day the plaster froze. Somehow, we managed to finish it anyways!
Why did we host a workshop? The workshop was about so much more than building with straw. It was about building and finding community. These last few years have felt pretty isolating for me. Nayan and I left our old communities during the pandemic to start a new one. The process has been long and winding, at times it felt like a silly dream. I started to question what we are doing it all for. The people who attended the workshop reminded me of exactly why. It is important to live, share, create, learn and grow amongst each other. Not only did these people warm my home, they left me with hope. 💚
over 2 years ago
Day seven of the straw bale workshop. The sun came out and the first coat of plaster was finished. This crew put up our walls and finished the first scratch coat in a week. They did it in bad weather, with no complaints. More pictures to come!
Day six. Plaster went on the walls and the scratch coat officially began. People took a bit to get the feel but it didn’t take long for the walls to be covered.
Day five. Getting ready for the plaster. The lath and mesh get straightened out and tightened up. Photo one is the niche. I love it! Photo two is the truth window. How else can we prove there is straw in our walls?
Day four… the weather did not give up. Neither did my crew! They worked all day in bad weather and continued to have a good time. Colin and Porridge even put on a show. 😁 I still can’t get over how positive everyone stayed, especially my amazing kitchen crew. ❤️
Day three. The wire mesh, electrical and felt went up. The weather was unpleasant but the crew couldn’t have been more positive.
Day two of the straw bale workshop. The weather quickly changed to rain. Nonetheless, the walls and tarps went up. This group was awesome and made sure nothing slowed them down.
