eighteen

It is our farmiversary, friends! Eighteen years ago today, we packed up our then-small tribe and made the move from town to our own twenty-acre piece of land in the mountains. A real homestead of our own... I could not have been more tickled. And today, all of these many years later, I do believe that I love the simple homesteading life more than ever.

Since we moved to our farm, two of our children have grown up and moved away from home. And five more babies have been born into our family... three of them born right here at home, and two at a nearby birth center... bringing our family size to ten. Our six children-at-home now range in age from seven years to nineteen years old.

These are happy-busy years indeed. Projects and makings and doings abound. How blessed we are.

Last night around the supper table, we laughed and talked and remembered together some of the reasons we cherish our family homestead. It was quite a conversation and I thought it would be fun to record in this space some of the words and thoughts shared between us.

"What is one of the things you love about life on our farm?" I asked. And here are some of the responses I got . . .

The wildlife.
Oh my, the wildlife! Through the years on our mountainside homestead we have seen on our property ~ elk, deer, antelope, black bears, owls and lots of birds of prey, marmots, songbirds, cranes, foxes, coyotes, snakes, badgers, weasels, skunks, jackrabbits, cotton tails, and moose.

Baby animals.
Assisting with animal births, cuddling and feeding baby goats, and bottle-feeding a calf we raised several years ago. Chicks, ducklings. Kittens. Bunnies. Everyone loves babies around here.

Our barnyard.
It has been a varied barnyard through the years as we have experimented with raising different species and breeds of critters. We currently have my Jersey cow-friend Matilda, a miniature horse, a wee herd of goats, ducks, and laying hens.

In the past, we have also raised turkeys, rabbits, chickens-for-the-freezer, a steer, and lots more dairy goats. Our hopes and dreams for the near future are to get back into it . . . Lord willing, we want to increase our flocks and herds and self-sufficiency, as God allows.

The creek.
How thankful we are to have a year-round creek in our lower pasture! It is one of our favoritest places of all.

Space to play and explore.
Hills to sled upon, running and hiking trails, our archery range in the pasture, wildflowers . . . so many lovely things for this outdoorsy crew to appreciate. My pooch Jack Kelly loves all the space and fresh air, too. {smile}

:: Jack ::

What bliss it was to sit and savor the farmiversary conversation amongst us all. That my dear hubby and I get to raise and homeschool our big family here, that we all appreciate a slow and simple life, and that we together have learned to work hard, be flexible, be content, and ever-trusting of God who has blessed us so.

Eighteen wonderful years on our homestead! Like I said when we celebrated seventeen years here, I do hope it is merely the beginning.

Joyfully,