Living the Country Life

     Moving here to Martinsville, has been probably some of the best years of my life! When you live in the country, on a farm, there's never a dull moment. Never a time when you're standing around looking for something to do... There's always something that needs to be done, animals to be taken care of, gardens to tend, well you all know... And that's what I love about it!

    

     After moving here in 2007, some of us were homesick for quite awhile. Some of us, referring to the six brothers and two sisters I have. Yes, it's a lot - But I love everyone of them! They all know what will rub you the wrong way sometimes, but you've just got to brush it off and forget about it. Leaving all our friends behind, and moving to a completely new place. A new atmosphere. Yes, it was a change...But isn't any move, for anyone? You learn to adapt. Anywhere you move you end up meeting new people, doing new things, and just changing things up. Isn't that what life's all about? It'd be boring living in the same place, doing the same things, living the same day-to-day life, for your whole time you have here on earth. So why not spend it mixing things up, here and there? 

    

     Before moving here, we lived in more of a rural town. After moving out here to God's open country, I'd never go back...At least I hope not. The sunrises, sunsets, and beautiful skies at night are amazing - I've never seen them so beautiful before! "Red skies at night, are a sailors delight. Red skies in the morning are a sailors mourning." So many nights we have amazing red skies, shining through the open corn fields, leaving the sun shining bright the next morning. 

    

    But, why did we move here? Well, we originally had alpacas, and the 4 acres we had, 2 of which were woods, just wasn't making the cut. We needed more room. More space to expand. We found this place and here we are! The alpacas have since moved on, while the addition of Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats moved in. I honestly love these guys. They have the sweetest personality. Nothing like the skid-dish alpacas. The feeling of bringing back fresh milk from the barn, is a great feeling. Knowing you are providing for your family, is an amazing thing. With a few other animals - chickens, cats and a dog, we are continuing to build up this farm, little by little. Angora goats are in the plans for the near future! 

     It's the people here too! They're always willing to lend a hand, always there when you need them, and they sure are some of the nicest people! 

     Watching the farmers harvest their crops after a long year of preparation, is something I'm grateful I get to see! I love watching them do something that makes the world go around. Something that is of great need in this world. Something that so many people take for granted - I wish more people understood the time and work it takes to put the food on their plate. And appreciate the farmers a little more for all the work they put into taking care of God's land. 

     Moving here has taught so much...Learning how to provide more for my family, how working hard really pays off - And I love that!...It makes you really appreciate the simpler/smaller things in life and not always worry about trying to look/be better than someone else, but to live this life - Working hard, being grateful for what you have, who you are, are making the best out of everyday! 

Have an amazing MoNdAy everyone!!

     
   
     

How Did I Get Started?

    
     How did I get started? Or where did I learn? I get those two questions so many times...So, here's a post on just that. 

    In 2007, after acquiring 4, which then lead to eventually 10 alpacas, is what started it all. Searching for something that would put their beautiful fiber to good use, we finally stumbled across spinning and weaving! My, I can't tell you how happy I am we came across what we did! As of 3 years ago, the alpacas have since moved on, but my love for spinning and weaving have only grown stronger...It's something I never want to give up. 

  Shortly after the alpacas came, so did the spinning and weaving! Lessons too! We drove to Columbus, IN to pick up my spinning wheel...Yes! I actually started out spinning - which I do so little anymore...I'm bringing it back though! And then the lessons. A lady by the name of Windy Feree, owner of Windy's World, in Williamsburg, OH is where it all began... We went there once-a-week to start out with spinning lessons. But seeing all those looms that covered her shop, I knew immediately it was something I wanted to learn too! Shortly after, maybe a couple of weeks, well you know...There came the weaving lessons too! I couldn't resist seeing those looms and not getting my hands on them. Wow! Am I sure glad I did! After maybe a year, I decided I wanted to go further with it...Then came the art shows and festivals. Starting with just a couple, I now do around 6 per year. They are some of my favorite days of the year! I love spending time just talking and meeting new people, while seeing lots of familiar faces too! 

   I honestly spend probably 50-75% of my day weaving/spinning/sewing. I can't help it! It's the first thing I think about doing each morning when my eyes first open... It's been 7 years since I first started, you'd think I might me getting a little tired of it by now. But, I'm not! It seems like I enjoy it now, more than ever...My passion for it seems to only grow stronger as the days pass by... 



   I hope I'll never have to give up my weaving! I have met so many amazing people through the years, I never imagined I would. And to think it all started with some string and basically...Well ...wood! Wow! Just amazing! "Enjoy the little things in life, beacuse one day you will look back, and realize they were the big things." <<< Well, I guess that sure explains it in every way...The smallest things sure come out to be the biggest things - I love how that works! So, "THANK YOU" to everyone who has supported/encouraged me to continue doing something I love! Without all of you, and of course, God above, I wouldn't be where I am today! YOU are all what made, and continue to MAKE it all possible! 

Have an AmAzInG Thursday everyone!!
  

You can check out my Facebook Page   << here. 

Quotes/Sayings of the day:
Why am I so happy? Because I feel grateful, thankful, and blessed. Every single day, my intention is to appreciate all the good in my life. 

Life is like a coin. You can spend it anyway you wish, but you only spend it once. 

Do Family Farms Still Matter?

   Absolutely! Family farms matter so much these days. To some degree, I think they matter more now, and the years to come, more than ever. 
   Learning to provide for you and your family is and will be so important in the future. Growing/raising your own food is something that will sure be of great value someday. Fresh produce/meats/eggs/milk may not always be there in the time you most need them. Plus, growing/raising these things yourselves, you will know exactly how and where they are coming from. These days it's hard to come by hardly anything that isn't grown/raised/made in China and other foreign countries. Why not support the ones in your own country? Supporting local farmers through Farmer's Markets and such, encourages you to support those family farms that still do matter! Without family farms, we have nothing... Here is a great article by Parade giving a great look into why Family Farms really do matter.


Forrest Pritchard is a professional farmer with degrees in English and Geology from William & Mary. His new book, Gaining Ground: A Story of Farmers’ Markets, Local Food, and Saving the Family Farm, tells the story of how he brought his family business back from the brink of disaster.

In 1996, fresh out of college, I dreamed of returning to my family’s farm and becoming a farmer. After decades of eroding cattle prices, our Shenandoah Valley farm was barely hanging on. My parents had almost given up, taking jobs in the city just to keep the bills paid. I would be the seventh generation to work the land, dating back to the American Revolution, and took it upon myself to keep the farm alive.

As my friends headed off to graduate school, I pointed my dusty pickup toward the farm. My college advisors shook their heads with well-meaning disapproval. “Go ahead,” they admonished. “Get your hands dirty for a few months. But when you’re ready to decide on a career, the real world will be waiting for you.”

But this is the real world, I insisted. It’s a world of sunshine and rain. It’s a world of physical work and sweat, and the sweet satisfaction of nurturing life from the earth. A few weeks back on the farm, I was sunburned and filthy and utterly blissful. Most importantly, I was certain that I had made the right decision.

I projected our bills for the coming winter, and knew that we needed ten thousand dollars to carry us into spring. That summer, we planted the farm with corn and soybeans, abandoning our traditional cow pastures for the quicker financial return of grain. The meadows were killed off with herbicide, and the rolling hills cultivated.

In October, trucks whisked away our glittering corn and soy. I was so proud of what we had accomplished: We had saved our family farm. Later that week, I received our paycheck and tore open the envelope.

Staring at the check, I felt my knees buckle. The harvest hadn’t brought in ten thousand dollars. It hadn’t even cleared a thousand. After expenses, five truckloads of grain had made us a profit of eighteen dollars and sixteen cents.

How could this be? How could so much corn bring in such a pittance? Humiliated, furious, I nearly tore the paycheck into bits. At that instant, I realized how utterly broken our family farm was. I made up my mind that, somehow, we were going to fix it.

Seventeen years later, after triumphs and heartbreaks, our farm is stronger than ever. We now raise organic, grass-fed meats, and sell our free-range eggs at bustling Washington, DC farmers markets. Each weekend, I personally interact with hundreds of customers, answering questions and educating about our farming practices. Decades of debt is finally paid off. From where I stand, the future of farming has never looked so bright.

But our farm’s story remains the exception more than the rule. Today, high-yield industrial agriculture dominates the field. Only 1% of the country still lives on a farm, down from 50% just two generations before. If we’re going to save more family farms, we must rewrite the old story, and do it quickly.

It’s time to ask ourselves: What do we value? Do we believe in transparent farming practices, humane treatment of animals, and providing our producers a living wage? It’s easy to sit in our ivory towers, dismissing these issues as glorified talking points. But when you’ve stood on your family’s farmhouse porch, and been handed eighteen dollars for an entire year’s worth of work, you begin to understand how truly desperate the situation can be.

People are ready for their farmers to become heroes. Who can blame them? The world needs heroes, those who believe in something greater than themselves. A new wave of farmers can live up to these ideals, and sustainable agriculture can be the story of our time. The shopping choices we make today will alter the landscape for generations to follow.

    Why not give your support to a local farmer? Give them a chance. A future. Help them in trying to do something right. Make them proud for what they have and will become. Make them feel important to this world. A big "THANK YOU" to all farmers out there! Without you, we honestly wouldn't be where we are today... 

Saying of the day:

It's not what you take when you leave this world behind you. It's what you leave behind you when you go. ~Randy Travis, Three Wooden Crosses 

Why Raw Milk?

              

        In 2012, we decided we wanted to add something to our farm that would be of good use. We wanted something for the milk. Nigerian Dwarf goats seemed to be the perfect thing! Being a much smaller breed, the Nigerian Dwarfs are extremely easy to handle, with a very friendly/loving personality. 

   We knew from the beginning we wanted to drink/use their milk raw. But, WHY?...This article written Rose of Sharon Acres explains it all...

You may ask 'raw goat milk'? Why should I care about it. American's have been 'culturized & advertised' into associating milk with cows when in fact, goat milk is far more healthy for humans. In Maud, Texas goat milk is all we drink - it's God's complete food! According to the Journal of American Medicine, "Goat's milk is the most complete food known." It contains vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, trace elements, enzymes, protein, and fatty acids that are utilized by your body with ease. In fact, your body can digest goat's milk in just 20 minutes. It takes 2-3 hours to digest cow's milk. Excerpt from "The Maker's Diet" by Jordan S. Rubin... 'You shall have enough goats' milk for your food, for the food of your household, and the nourishment of your maidservants' (Proverbs 27:27). The milk consumed in biblical times differed much from the milk we consume today. The milk of the Bible came from cows and goats and was consumed straight from the animal (it was not pasturized or homogenized), or it was immediately fermented. These 'live' foods provide excellent health benefits in contrast to today's pasturized, homogenized, often skimmed and 'refortified' milk, which is not only less nutritious but also can be potentially harmful and a major cause of allergies and even heart disease. (pg 147)

Below are some of the health benefits attributed to raw goat milk consumption:  Goat's milk is less allergic - It does not contain the complex protein that stimulate allergic reactions to cow's milk.) Goat's milk does not suppress the immune system. Goat's milk is easier to digest than cow's milk (An old statistic showed that goat's milk will digest in a baby's stomach in twenty minutes, whereas pasturized cow's milk takes eight hours.  The difference is in the structure of the milk.) Goat's milk has more buffering capacity than over the counter antacids. (The USDA and Prairie View A&M University in Texas have confirmed that goat's milk has more acid-buffering capacity than cow's milk, soy infant formula, and nonprescription antacid drugs.) Goat's milk alkalinizes the digestive system.  It actually contains an alkaline ash, and it does not produce acid in the intestinal system.  Goat's milk helps to increase the pH of the blood stream because it is the dairy product highest in the amino acid L-glutamine.  L-glutamine is an alkalinizing amino acid, often recommended by nutritionists. Pg. 148 - "The Makers Diet" Goat's milk contains twice the healthful medium-chain fatty acids, such as capric and caprylic acids, which are highly antimicrobial. (They actually killed the bacteria used to test for the presence of antibiotics in cow's milk!) Goat's milk does not product mucus; it does not stimulate a defense response from the human immune system. Goat's milk is a rich source of the trace mineral selenium, a necessary nutrient, however, for its immune modulation and antioxidant properties. Pg 149 "The Maker's Diet" Lactose Intolerant? Easier digestion allows the lactose to pass through the intestines more rapidly, not giving it time to ferment or cause an osmotic imbalance. Goat's milk also contains 7% less lactose than cow milk. Additionally, most lactose intolerant people have found that they can tolerate goat's milk and goat milk products. Goat's Milk Soothes the Digestive Tract Goat's milk has long been used and recommended as an aid in the treatment of ulcers due to its more effective acid buffering capacity. Children on goat's milk have been observed to sleep through the night and remain more satisfied between meals. Mother Nature is very Clever Natural milk contains many bioactive components, which serve to retard the growth of harmful organisms, and to protect the health of the person consuming them. Goat's milk contains the same important bioactive components as mother's milk. Medicinal properties of goat milk The importance of feeding of infants with goat milk has been recognized since ancient days. In developed countries like U.S and South Africa, the goat milk is specifically marketed for the infants. The milk allergy problem common in infants fed with cow milk is rarely encountered when replaced with goat milk and it plays an important role in the formulation of infant formula. This is a proof of the medicinal property of goat milk. The symptoms like gastrointestinal disturbances, vomiting, colic, diarrhoea, constipation and respiratory problems can be eliminated when goat milk is fed to the infants. The reason cited for the relief in respiratory problems when fed with goat milk can be attributed to the structure of casein micelle of the goat milk. Pasteurized goat milk is well tolerated by the infants with gastro intestinal or respiratory symptoms. Fermented goat milk products are ideal for the persons allergic to cow milk. The goat milk is naturally homogenized. It forms a soft curd when compared to cow milk and hence helps in easy digestion and absorption. Regular intake of goat milk significantly improves the body weight gain, improved mineralization of skeleton, increased blood serum vitamin, mineral and haemoglobin levels. These points are considered advantageous when compared to consumption of human milk. The other medicinal property of goat milk is higher concentration of medium chain fatty acids which play an important role in imparting unique health benefits in mal-absorption syndrome, steatorrhoea, chyluria, hyperlipoproteinaemia and during conditions of cystic fibrosis, gall stones and childhood epilepsy. The medium chain fatty acids minimize cholesterol deposition in the arteries, aid in dissolving cholesterol and gallstones and significantly contribute to normal growth of infants. Disclaimer** These statements have not been evaluated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). To prevent our products from being classified as drugs under Section 201(g) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, we are required to inform you that there is no intention, implied or otherwise that represents or infers that these products or statements be used in the cure, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of any disease.       A couple of times last year, we actually had a few incidents of pink eye! Aghh! But with a few drops of the raw goats milk, it cleared right up! It's so amazing sometimes how things in their raw/natural state can be a cure to diseases/infections/just everyday problems! Isn't that the way God intended it to be though?     I can't wait until are girls are ready to milk again! Going out early in the morning, with the music cranked up loud, is the perfect way to start your morning! It feels so good, coming back from the barn, with milk in your hands, knowing you are providing for your family.   We currently have 4 does pregnant. They are due in July! Kidding season is so much fun...I can't wait for those days to come! Only a few more months and they'll be here before I know it!     Have a great MoNdAy everyone! Enjoy the beautiful sunshine!  Question of the day: Have you ever tried goats milk, raw or not?

Love Your Life...

      I've been wanting to write a post about this for a long time - I just haven't found the right place to do so...until now...

     

      As we all know, you only live one life. So, why not spend it doing something you love? Living with no regrets?...Well, of course there are those small everyday ones....But, I'm talking about the BIG ones. Your job, places you've always wanted to see, but have never been, how you live your everyday life, all the way down to how you treat others. 

  God put you on this earth with one life. That's it! A very short life too. And then it's all over...You leave this earth saying "Wow...I can't believe I did that...Or, I always wish I would've done that"...

You never know when this may be your last day/hour/minute/second...Or even the person right next to you, the ones you love the most. Why spend everyday hating them for something they said or did, wishing they would be some other person, when God created them for who they are. There are some loved ones who have past on...I think of them everyday...Wishing I would've spent more time with them while they were on this earth...Now, I hope and pray I will get to see them in Heaven someday, and spend everlasting eternity with them. 

 Why spend everyday procrastinating in making those small steps, towards that BIG step, or dream you've always wanted? Starting small, always ends up to bigger and better things, you just have to be patient, and those doors will eventually open...Little by little...

 I know, I've only been on this earth a very short 17 years...But, with those short years, this all came to me. So, I try an live everyday to the fullest, learning from the ones who have been on this earth way longer than I, brushing off the little things, and working through the hard ones - the tough struggles - the ups and downs, the things that come with life! Life is not easy, God never intended it to be that way. What fun would that be anyway? Never having to work for what you want? Never drug through rugged times, for better/exciting/amazing things that come out of them? And even learning from them. Going through those struggles only makes you stronger and shapes you for who the person you are today and who you will become. "What doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger." <<< That, right there, is so true! Know one is perfect. Know one ever will be...We're only human... We are put on this earth to live for God - Love thy neighbor, as thyself - Take care of what you have, and those who are less fortunate - Learning from the wise, and teach the weak and innocent - and start everyday with a smile on your face, making the best of it! 

Take the life you were given on this earth, and truly make the best of it - Living your life to the fullest! Have a great FrIdAy everyone!

Quotes/Verses/Sayings of the day:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  ~Jeremiah 29:11

What you love to do shouldn't be defined by how much money, fame, or worldly desires you acquire, but by how much fun it is to be doing something you love.... ~Olan Rogers 

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me." ~Erma Bombeck  

First Post - Shop Searching

     Alright everyone, so here's my first blog post! Yay!! I've been wanting to set up a blog for a long time now.....So here it finally is!

   

I'll be writing about a little bit of everything on here. Hopefully a post each day. From weaving - 

exciting happenings on our farm -  interesting articles - just daily life. Things that will hopefully be of somewhat interest to everyone. 

  So, on to today! I spent a good part of today searching for some great little shops that may be interested in

 selling my products! A friend recommended >> http://www.thespottedgoose.com/index2.html in Oakland, 

OH. What a cute little shop, with some AdOrAbLe things! I ended up selling some of my little girl purses to 

them! So those are now available in their shop. After leaving there, we went on down to O' Bryonville to 

check out some of the shops there! We came upon a handcrafted gallery of local artisans - Indigenous. This 

may be a avenue in the near future for some of my other products. So over all, today was a pretty good day with a few small accomplishments made. 

Well dinner is ready and the animals are waiting to be taken care of. Have a great rest of the evening everyone and enjoy the First Day of Spring! 

Be sure and check out my Facebook Page.