these days

The weeks leading up to our departure from the farm were hard. Really hard. So now that we're at our new (temporary) home, we've been trying to make up for that for Zander, and for us. The last few weeks here have been full of sighs of relief, exciting and fun times, family, smiles and laughter. And honestly, it's been great.

Zander is like a totally different person here. There was a major mold problem in our living situation on the farm. We knew it was an issue but thought we had it under control. We discovered just how bad it was when we were in the process of moving out. Mold was on everything and many things were totally ruined and had to be thrown away. We know that mold is no joke. Zander had just started really wanting to crawl but we just weren't comfortable letting him crawl around and touch all of the moldy surfaces that were being uncovered as we moved things. We tried to take him outside as much as possible to crawl around but moving is a big job and we wanted to finish quickly. We were trying to pack and move and he wanted to get into everything and unpack all of our boxes. I did a lot of our packing and moving with him on my back. Needless to say, it wasn't much fun for any of us.

Now that we're in a healthy house, Zander has really blossomed. He's crawling everywhere like a pro and loves to walk while pushing things across the floor. He has four teeth, he's talking, laughing and playing drums! He's so much happier which I'm sure has a lot to do with the fact that we're so much happier.

This new change has been especially great for Nate and Zander. It's like they're really getting to know each other. Nate is usually so busy on the farm and not around most of the day but right now, we all have a lot of time to spend with each other. He's growing up so fast and will only be this age once so I'm glad our family has this right now. Believe me, the weight of the situation is heavy. Leaving the farm mid-season was a difficult but necessary decision. We hope this transition is temporary as we hope to find a farm very soon but for right now, we're loving sharing these moments together.

I'll write more about why we left another time but as I said, it was really, really hard. So for now, we're just trying to let it all go and move on.

Who knew the boy LOVES to swing?

And the boy also loves his Opa.

Sand!

My boys.

Someone had way too much fun hiking with Daddy.

Zander's view of an elephant at the zoo.

 

Zander's first concert - Jane's Addiction!

Jane Says.

third time's a charm?

"You sure chose a hard life when you decided to go into farming." -my mother lovingly reminds me when things get tough.

This is true, I know.

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know our journey has not been a smooth one. It's been full of bumps and bruises, as well as beauty, fun and adventure. The last few years on this farm have been no exception.

Nate, Zander and I are leaving Blackberry Meadows. The past year has been hard for us for reasons I won't go into and we've had to decide what's best for our family. We'll be staying with family while we search for a farm of our own. One where we can continue the work we love.

We've cancelled future baby chick and turkey orders and processed or found homes for the rest of our chickens. Our pigs have been processed. The lambs will stay here with the other sheep and Ella and Lucy will stay here as well.

Please keep us in your thoughts and send us some love as we pack up our lives and prepare to walk away from the farm that we love, the animals we love, and possibly, the wood-fired oven we love.