Hey there! Its been a while since I blogged about what’s going on with the farm and family, so here we go! If you haven’t already, make sure you subscribe to my Instagram and “Like” me on Facebook if you want to tune in to more farm & family adventures 🙂 I update daily on those pages!
I decided to start this blog series called “Farm & Family Fridays” since so many of you have asked me to share more info about our homesteading lifestyle, being a business owner, and homeschooling/unschooling 2 kids. I regularly preserve our own food (canning, dehydrating, fermenting), grow fruits & veggies, raise livestock, cook almost every type of cuisine under the sun, and enjoy teaching my children all kinds of different practical life skills. These posts will also act as a sort of public diary, a good space where I can chronicle the growth of my farm & family. If you are interested in hearing about topics relating to homesteading, homeschooling/unschooling and feeding a family of four nutrient dense foods make sure to check back every Friday for a new post!
First things first, we just started prepping the spring garden. Make sure to browse through the slideshow below to see photos. The kids, my husband and I all put on our gardening boots and planted:
- 2 varieties of kale
- 2 varieties of lettuce
- collard greens
- carrots
- calendula
- radishes
- beets
- rosemary
- tomatoes
- herbs (rosemary, chives, cilantro, parsley, basil, etc.)
Allie also started her own flower garden. She loves to sprinkle handfuls of random flower seeds so we have to wait to see what actually blooms in the spring! Later this month, we’ll be adding cucumbers, sweet peas, watermelons, peppers and pumpkins to the garden. Yum!
We put our new Maremma sheepdog puppy, Fetty, in a pen with the goats and cows so he can get accustomed to the herd that he’ll be looking after. He is SO adorable, but since he is still a puppy (4 months), he gets a bit too excited sometimes and will pounce on you.. lovingly, of course! We love him, and Allie is always jumping in the pen, trying to train and tame him.
Fetty, our new Maremma sheepdog puppy.
Now that Sweet Jones (our Nubian buck) is back to his old self, we put him in one of the pastures with our 2 female goats for breeding. We would love to have baby goats on the farm in about 5 months! I’ve been waiting for my chance to learn how to make my own goat cheese! Fingers crossed! Also, we are still having our daily breakfast scramble with the eggs from our hens. Even though its been on the chilly side here all the chickens are still laying nicely, and the ducks are fine as well.
Apple Jax, Brownie, Baby Cutes, Mustang GT, Crunch and Fetty enjoying a beautiful day!
Our hens are providing us with nutritious eggs every day!
Allie & Juice riding their bikes down our country road as the sun sets.
My sister came to visit us recently. She acted as my assistant at AQS QuiltWeek in Daytona and stayed with us for a few days on the farm before going back home to NYC. She took the kids out to our road with their bikes and took some pictures of them with her “new” (read: vintage) camera (a 1981 Canon AE-1 Program). I’m so lucky that my kids love being outside, as it was the childhood I had for myself and I know how special those experiences can be.
Juice whipping around a bamboo stick and Allie trying to catch up with us <3
Now I’ll leave you with a slideshow of more images you may enjoy. Click the arrow to the right of the first image to scroll through and see them all. I hope you enjoy these posts and please let me know if you have any topic suggestions for the future! Check back here every Friday and I’ll talk to you later 🙂 [slideshow_deploy id=’5962′]
chat soon!
Marilyn
So beautiful, I would love living in the country. Raising and farming. God bless you all
Mary Kowalski
I, too, spent countless hours outside when I was a child and then as a mother and family childcare provider. I experienced the benefits of direct exposure to nature – floating twigs down rivulets, building forts out of branches, listening to birds, climbing trees – even reading books up in the branches. For my children and day care students I used logs cut into sections to make a table and “chairs” for tea parties under old lilac bushes that formed a lilac house. I applaud you and Brandon for your efforts to raise your children thoughtfully. Keep up the great work (in everything that you do.)
Elaine Granato
I really enjoy all your posts, and this family Friday is a great idea. Since I’m a teacher I’d enjoy hearing more about your homeschooling (unschooling). How do your incorporate learning with your family activities on the farm?
carolyn
That is so beautiful,you are and amazing mom,wife and person.I love the way you care about people.Your story of how you was raised,really was uplifting.As beautiful as you are.It really help me a lot.That everyone goes thru something.but you made the best of it.Thank you so much.GOD BLESS.keep up the good work
Julie Cook
I am glsd to see you back again after a long absence. My how your children have grown, and I see you are now branching out. Good luck in your advancing career
heather
I’ve been waiting for another family farm/homeschooling post. We homeschool also, and I cannot think of a better environment than a farm for learning.
Elaine, the life is the “lesson.” Daily activities are learning activities. I too am a teacher (master’s degree), and paper/pencil/computer/TESTING do not equal learning, ever. Children learn by doing, getting dirty and being in hands on situations.
When we decided to homeschool, we were met with quirky looks and polite questions. Now, I do not know of anyone who is happy with their child’s public school experience. They all complain about busy work, assignments that are unclear and/or do not actually teach anything (Common Core?!?!). Older teachers have checked out, younger teachers do not know how to teach. And they all say that they wish they could homeschool. We live in an area known for its good schools, too.
Lnda Smithson
What a wonderful and busy life! Your children are getting a great education, life is a good teacher. My husband and I also “unschooled” our three sons, and they are fine men. When ever I would get anxious about the boys my husband would remind me we were growing human beings, not manufacturing cogs.
I enjoy your tutorials. I can barely sew a straight line so was very pleased to be able to make a burrito pillow case. I would like to be able to make a quilted pot holder one of these days, and will look to you for instruction.
I wish blogs had been around when my kids were little, it is a great way to find community. Keep up the loving important work of family raising, my hat’s off to you!