What is the number one reason we love farming and homesteading? Two words. "Family Togetherness" If the most important and valuable thing we do in our lives is family bonds and relationships, then I want more of that! When I ask myself what will really matter in 100 years, my answer is the time I spent with my children and the impact that will have in their lives and the next generations'.
Life on the farm is lived in seasons. I think family life is a lot like that too. This isn't a post about perfect family life. We have had seasons where we ate three meals together a day, as a family....we have had seasons where we have lived more like ships passing in the night! Farm life isn't a nine to five work day. Sometimes we work around the clock....but often there is a lot of flexibility and we can chose our hours. It is during these times of flex that we pull together as a family.
There is a garden to plant! Lets go!
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| Planting taters! |
Weeding time? You make the supper and I'll grab the hoe!
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| Start them young! |
The bees are about to swarm! Grab your gear because there is work to be done!
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| Catching a swarm of bees! |
The hay has to be got in! Time for a real hay ride!
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| It was a hot day! But oh so special! |
Spending so much time together has helped our sibling relationships, I think. The older ones lead the younger ones....because they know that training them to help makes for less work. But they also are each other's best playmates! Those little ones idolize those big brothers and sister. And the things they come up with to do on a farm are pretty endless.
The best part for me, is seeing the mix in the youth. Watching them care for one another.
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| Sisters! A special relationship. |
Watching them in their endeavors and sometimes their triumphs, too!
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| His biggest melon! |
I get to see life through their eyes. I get to experience the wonder of life, through them. Everything is fresh. Everything is new.
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| Beulah the baby meets Elsa the cow! Beulah says "Get back!" |
As parents, we get to be right there, along for the ride! How do you pack a smoker so that it stays lit? Well, we are going to learn together or we are going to get stung together, haha! (We have done some of both!)
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| Bee time! |
EVERY DAY, I get to do life with this man, this farmer and father and animal lover! This mechanic, lumberjack, cheesemaker, Beeman, shepherd, dairyman, gardener, and woodworker. He makes me laugh and sometimes cry, but he is my best friend, and the best part about my life on this planet.
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| My farmer with a mouth full of homegrown water melon. |
Not everyday is fun. Not everyday is everyone happy....it is probably pretty fifty, fifty. Farming is not a fairy tale life. But it has its perks! And I try to remember that....on the rainy days.
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| Pilgrim does not want to smile! |
My life, my experience, isn't unique, in that all families strive for interconnectedness. Farm living isn't for everyone and there are times when I wish I wasn't a farmer! But all in all, I am thankful for what it has given me and I encourage all to continue to strive for what matters to you. Strive for what gives you joy! You won't regret it. Wishing you all well from the farm, and signing off!
I enjoy your balanced view on life. No matter what we do there are pros and cons. I wish I could say my children and I had that togetherness. I long for that. It would be easy to get bitter and place blame on a husband who walked away making me a single mom of 4 ages 5,7,11 & 13. I did the best I could. Their physical needs were provided for. They never did without, but their emotional needs weren't met. They are grown now 31,33,37 and 39. I envisioned life with adult children to be WONDERFUL I envisioned regular family, deep sharing. Connecting emotionally. Sometimes I wonder if I didn't reach out first would we even talk. Would we become strangers. I'm tenacious. I love my children. I want a relationship with them. Reading "Running on Empty" Adult Children of Emotional Neglect, by Jonice Webb, shed light on the subject. The book gives me hope that I can have the relationship I want with my children. Life with Adult Children is not for the faint of heart.
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