Friday, January 7, 2011

Really. Really?

OK, so I said I'd post about our rampant chickenmania next. But my dear husband just sent me this, so I had to do a follow-up post:

He says: "I've just found your new home."

http://www.missilebases.com/

Dearest Richard, love of my life,

We are absolutely, positively, undeniably, not going to live in a missile base.

With love, and some concern for your sanity,
Sharon

Kicking off the New Year. Whining Ourselves into 2011

Happy New Year to all our friends and family! We realize that none of you is reading this blog...yet. But we hope that you'll join us as we try to transform ourselves.

What are we now? Slovenly, suburban slaves to the system. What do we WANT to be? Satisfied, sustainable...(OK, I've run out of alliterative words)...farmers.

Yes! I said the "F" word: Farmer. Funny (in the ironic way, not the haha way) how this label conjures images of dirty overalls, missing teeth, and lack of education for so many urban and suburban dwellers. I've shyly mentioned our new-found passion to a select few friends and neighbors. Their responses range from bemused looks to complete disbelief.

But here's what's really funny (in the joyful way): In the past few months, I've met and talked with a number of farmers, mostly at organic markets and local organic farms. They are intelligent, educated, and literate. And they are passionate about the RIGHTNESS of their stewardship of the animals, plants, and land that God designed for us. That's where we very much want to be.

The big problem: We're having some trouble letting go. It's hard to let go of our lifestyle. It's hard to shake up our children's expecations. One (in college) is safely launched. The other two - one headed into high school, one into middle school - aren't at all certain they want to trade their friends and posh schools for...unknown country-fied and country-fried horrors. In the words of that creepy Lion King monkey: "Change can be hard..."

Well, you have to eat an elephant one bite at a time. (Disclaimer: The previous statement is not an endorsement of elephant consumption.) So we're daintily choosing small morsels, hoping that if we chew slowly and choose wisely, that with a little time the elephant won't seem quite so large. (Which reminds me: we need to invest in a large FREEZER. Perhaps we can trade in our wine and drink refrigerator for that...)

How did all of this start? I'll post the story later but will say this much now: It's partly because we watched the movie "Zombieland." (And NO, we do NOT think there is an impending zombie invasion. Unless, perhaps, if the Democrats return in force to office in 2012. KIDDING!)

Whatever its cause, our passion has "stuck" for most of 2010. So almost a year later, we've decided to start a blog to share the things we learn and try. We hope to learn from our mistakes, so by the time we actually get to farm in earnest, maybe we'll avoid some setbacks. (More likely, we'll do different stupid things.)

Next post: Chicken Fever