Other than work, you may be wondering what really qualifies the Herold/Marrs Family as farmers. I direct you to this here list:
1) ourferndalefarm.blogspot.com.
2) We have to develop an income off of our land in order not to pay back taxes of 7 years.
3) We need a pick up truck.
4) We own a tractor….from 1947.
5) We constantly come up with new ideas/food that will be great to sell at the Farmer’s Market.
6) Sometimes I envy people without a yard.
7) We have animals we don't love (right now this includes one single pigeon because the others are dead but we will soon have real farm animals). p.s. I hate birds!
8) Our land is worth more than our house.
9) I have 4 canning books.
10) We put manure in our dirt. (Not our own mind you, wait, does that make me less of a recycler?)
There is one thing that makes us not true straw-sucking-overall-wearing folk, we don't have any meat. Tyler has yet to acquire ducks or cows or sheep or chickens or other nasties. We will get some of these things eventually but I am in no hurry. Because I am a vegetarian/almost vegan, I tend not to be proactive about obtaining these animals. Besides not wanting to eat them, they scare me. Cows are HUGE. Sheep have horns. Chickens and ducks stink and poop in their water. So, we have yet to jump over this farming hurdle and I know it is coming but for now I will enjoy and learn the ways of the veggies and berries. Hell, maybe I will even try a root or tuber.
ANYWAY, we love our house and land. We have no more free time because it is all spent doing chores, fixing tractors, fixing mailboxes, and weeding (blegh). Despite that, I do take pride in our organic earth-friendly "farm". Tyler takes a lot of time researching and tending to our organic food and its awesome.
As for me, I am really enjoying being the "Farmer's Wife". I pretty much do the same things I always did (house chores) but now I get to preserve our harvest and do other dorky 1930's woman things (with a modern twist, of course). This blog is to capture that side of me that I am learning to embrace and enjoy, except of the weeding. Did I mention how I hate that yet?
Here are some pictures to give you an idea of my life. They have no order or theme, unless "a life's sample" is a theme:
My yellow dahlias. My favorite flower.
Picking blackberries for a pie. I decided today that making one pie after just finishing the first probably isn't the best idea. One doesn't need to eat pie every night for two months.
A great kitchen gadget. My plastic bag dryer. I reuse all plastic bags/baggies by washing them and letting them dry. Tyler refuses to reuse them.
I am sorry but I am amazed at how friendly we are to the earth. We have about ten thousand weeds with 60 foot long roots in our lawn taking over and instead of using chemicals, we bought a little tool to individually pull out every weed. It sucks. This is me, I'm probably whining.
3 comments:
Oh my dear Em - you crack me up. This may be the most entertaining blog I've read. (OK, so maybe I don't read that many... but still pretty funny.)
I agree that you guys need a pickup and some animals. I'm watching Craig's list for some replacement pigeons...
Lil Em -- You're a chip of your Anut's Aquarian block !
I've been rewashing and drying ziplocks using my wooden spoons in the dish drainer for some time. Let Ty know that NO family members have shown any ill effects and it's been a few years ! (I think I'm coveting your gizmo -- was that an inheritance from Grammie?)
Keep in mind a 'raspberry colored' Pickup you might remember ... it might be a vehicle that's ready to be 'repurposed.'
Become one with your weeding - don't forget parts of many weeds are considered delicacies!
:)
Sweet Em, I love your blog! You’re a funny girl – always have been. I like this peek into your day-to-day farmer's wife's life.
You can start a series of books that later will become Hallmark Hall of Fame movies titled, “Emily, Plain and Simple”. Sigourney Weaver can play your mother. Another great title might be, 'The Farmer's Wife's Life (try and say that fast 3 times).
What do you mean by, “one doesn’t need to eat pie every night for two months”. Of course ‘one’ needs to. Honestly Em, no meat, no dessert every night – is this a rebellion against the values with which we raised you?
I thought the trailer was full of junk parts. I can make out a tractor shape if I squint my eyes and stare…..wait, when I stare long enough Jesus' face pops out. Cool!
The dahlia is beautiful and even more so in the green vase. We can go dahlia shopping when you’re home. The fields at Connell’s will be in full bloom. After ordering, they wait and ship the tubers in the spring. Perfect - I won’t kill them over the winter. Plan for a HUGE dahlia bed; one that is as big as a cow!
I’ll trade you frozen blueberries for your blackberries. I know, I’ll buy them from you to contribute to your ‘Save the Farm from Taxes’ fund.
It’s a great picture of you woefully weeding. I’m very impressed with your piles of weeds. And if I listen hard enough, I can hear your faint but persistent whining.
Will you be registering for your wedding gifts at Ace Hardware and John Deere?
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