If you've been following along here, you know that for many unforeseen reasons, we've been diverted from our path of farming. Since we started in 2008, we've been looking for a farm of our own. Along the way, we've lived and worked on several farms in Western PA with some of the region's most knowledgeable sustainable farmers. The nomadic life served us well for many years and the learning experiences were truly invaluable.
We haven't been "farmers" for a few years now. Life took us in another direction and I think that's why I stopped writing here. I was discouraged and began to wonder if we'd ever find our way back to it. I felt like the name of the blog was a farce. In the back of my mind, I never gave up hope, so I never considered changing the name.
Although an on-farm bakery has always been our dream, we made the tough decision 3 years ago to get the business started in our small town since we'd yet to find the right farm. We couldn't wait forever. It was a good decision. We chose a great location, the business has been successful, and we've gained a really nice customer base in the short time we've been open. (Almost a year!)
Being completely overwhelmed with our bakery responsibilities, finding a farm was the furthest thing from our minds. But the universe had plans, and somehow it all just came together. We moved to a small farm just outside of town right before Christmas in a "rent, with the option to buy" arrangement. Ironically, the owners used to buy turkeys from us ages ago. We will continue to operate the business out of the current location until we figure out the next step.
The best part of all of this, besides the obvious, is that I was able to share the news with Gerry just before we moved. He was beside himself with joy for us and it meant so much for him to see that we had finally, after all of our hard work and heartache, come full circle. Back to the farm. Back home. But really, it means much more than that, and I think he knew it. It means that I just might finally have an ending for my book.
Now, for the first order of business... baby chicks are coming at the end of the month! Only this time, instead of a few hundred, we're sticking with 15.
