Back to Our Roots..

Turning in my stiletto heels for tractor wheels 3 years ago was just about the best decision I ever made in my life, next to marrying my farmer. I am only now beginning to realize how its changed me, allowed me to grow and expanded my mind, my thoughts and my knowledge to levels I never thought possible. Yes, I never knew a thing about farming before I met Adam..sure I had the romantic ideals of what farm life would offer and knew the basics from movies, tv or my personal experiences at my grandma’s homestead that is now run by my uncle, but I truly didn’t have a clue…

When I first started chatting with Adam and was going to come to the farm for the first time to meet his family, I wanted to impress them. I wanted to know more than I really did, so I called in backup. My girlfriend at the office was married to a dairy farmer and I sat in her office and asked questions and I will admit, I believe something came out of my mouth that sounded like this: “All I know is that those green machines are called combines…I think”. I shake my head and giggle just thinking about that. Of course my coworker was kind enough to inform me that not all combines are green and that, on second thought, maybe don’t bring up farm machinery at all. {that point there saved me}

Now, 3 years later..I’ve become a part of this land. I have put blood, sweat and tears into this land. I’ve worked the soil with my hands, grew food that fed our families, raised chickens here, tend to them daily and collect their eggs. I could tell you about summer fallow vs chem fallow, sprayers, tractors, grain carts, cereals, pulses..the list goes on. Farm life is hard work but its a great life. Yes I get to work alongside my husband almost daily, he’s home for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day except for when we are seeding or harvesting and, even then I’m often with him. And I’m so grateful for that.

I love the pace of life here. I love the silence of the countryside and hearing my rooster, Tiny crow at the crack of dawn and every hour after that. Which is another thing I learned, by the way..its a movie myth that roosters crow at dawn and thats it. My rooster, Tiny..will crow all day if he feels like it..up until about 7:30, which is then his bed time..

Living on the farm, growing my own food, raising my own chickens for their eggs {I don’t butcher my chickens as they are our pets} combined with all the news, reports and movements that surround us regarding changes in diets, GMO’s, etc has really made me aware of what we put in to our bodies and of wanting to go back to the days of trusting what you are eating. I grew an approximately 2,000sq ft garden last year and, I’ve gotta tell you, those were the best tasting vegetables I’d ever had. I grew most of them from seed, I watered them and fertilized them..sometimes using compost from my own chicken coop and I knew exactly where it all came from. There’s a power in that! Nothing is more satisfying then waking up, heading out at the break of dawn to your garden and tending to your piece of land..be it a tiny strip of dirt in your backyard or a massive garden that spans acres and acres. Watching plants grow from your own hand is truly satisfying and nothing beats walking out to the garden to pull ingredients for supper…nothing!!

I know that I personally relished in watching my hardwork grow and bloom and, eventually, feed us. I also relished in the sounds of working in my garden while listening to my chickens cluck and my roosters crow. When I came across I basket full of tomatoes that had overripened, I walked them down to the chickens to give them a treat that made them dance with excitement. seriously, chickens loooove tomatoes and they are hilarious to watch! But the best part is? They reward you with this,