Living history

In 1993 I was a first year college student in Peterborough.  John and I had been dating for almost four years.  Most weeks we would return to the Highlands driving on a less traveled route through a small village, Mount Pleasant.  On the very first trip through this wee town I instantly fell in love with the breath taking view, the fields, the trees and the rolling hills.  I wanted to live there.
Over the next couple of years I had become friends with a young woman who lived with her parents on a small hobby farm on the out skirts of the same city.  Though I had never spent a day on a farm before I really enjoyed this little piece of heaven.
Ducks and chickens chased bugs.  Sheep chewed lazily on grass.  Goats climbed and chewed just about everything.  This family grew and ate their own fruit and vegetables.  They pasture raised their own meat.  At the time I remember feeling envy and awe.  It became a dream - something to aspire too - someday.

 Fast forward to 2003...

John and I had been married for six years.  We had two children and one on the way.  We had sold our tiny house and needed a place to live - immediately.  John built me my house on the hill. Not the same hill but this one was way better.  Now, everyday I am surrounded with a similar beauty I had loved and longed for 10 years prior.

Summer 2005

When we chose to build here we talked farming. In the future. We had the land but with both of us working and three children under five we severely lacked time, energy and resources.
We lived vicariously through John's parents who were returning to their roots and building a small farm.  Every time we visited we enjoyed a trip to the barn to see the sheep, goats and chickens.   In the summer their cattle would graze in our pasture.
As our children grew we decided it would be manageable to have a few chickens.  And so our farm began.


BLACKberry Fields - Present day...

Tamworth weaner

As I have mentioned before I knew the day the tractor rolled into the yard there was know turning back.  Our dreams were becoming a reality and much quicker than we ever believed. 
Today we have 20 laying hens and a rooster who wander the yard and 30 more on the way.  Thirty other chickens will be raised for meat. Four piglets arrived last week.  They are being pasture raised for their meat.  A trio of lambs will arrive next week to help with the grass cutting and be sold in the fall.  Two bee hives are being relocated here to expand their pollen source and provide us with honey.  We are in the process of securing a cow or two.

Amy and John
 installing fence posts

The vegetable garden just keeps getting bigger and bigger. John will till it again tonight so I can begin to plant it this weekend.  I will care for the plants through out the summer. Together we will harvest and preserve our crops.

Over the past three months John has rarely stopped moving.  He works full time as a carpenter then comes home and continues to work at any number of tasks here on our farm.  With the help of our oldest daughter, Amy,  they have placed countless fence posts and strung hundreds of feet of fencing.  As I am limited in my ability, the task of building our family farm has fallen largely on him.  So with this post I want to thank him for making my, our, dreams a reality.  I am grateful everyday to be sharing this amazing experience with you, our children and the friends who join us along the way. xo

Sending much love and gratitude from my piece of heaven here on the hill.
Steph  xo