Two hours after I published my first post for this brand new blog, my husband, Alex, called to say he'd lost his job. The question of WHEN Alex should quit his job suddenly disappeared. Instead we asked ourselves, "Is it time to move to a farm?" With our lease up in June at our apartment, we wondered if it was time for a change.
In the last few days, many grand ideas, schemes, and dreams were put on the table. In the end, it was a phone call from the apartment management. They offered us a better deal on our rent if we signed another lease and we took it. Seemed like the most financially responsible thing to do. We're shaking it up, yes sir.
It's reasonable that we could moving onto some land this time next year. Whether by renting or buying, I know that we will be planting our own crops with our own dirt next Spring. As for the now, I wait patiently. The Universe has kindly given me two different gardening opportunities to fill my craving that I get when the warm air rolls in and the horizon turns green. I Love Spring! To some it's still damp and dreary, real winter-like. But it's so much more. It's the manifestation of hope. It is death turned to life. It's Gardening!
Our first opportunity to get our hands dirty is Bell Garden. There's some sweet things going on there. This lovely garden was created by the Bellevue community in hopes of bringing fresh food to the community, especially the schoolchildren. It is on the grounds of Bellevue Middle School and it's mission follows after such as Alice Waters, hoping to bring the joy of gardening and eating healthy foods to the children. Alex and I were lucky enough to stumble upon this jewel when we moved down here in 2011. They've really come far since then with an eleven-bird chicken coop, fruit and nut trees, and a hoophouse in progress. We're very blessed that we live (and will live for a year!) only minutes from Bell Garden. We visited there on Saturday and for the first time I held fresh eggs in my hands. I watched Alex retrieve those eggs from under the chicken coop with a thrill of joy in my belly. The chickens were beautiful beasts, calm and assured about this unknown fellow in the chicken coop. I can't wait to get in there myself and learn firsthand what I've been reading about for years. Hello, I'm Cagney and I'm a Chicken Nerd.
Our second opportunity comes the way of my Dad and Stepmom. They're allowing us to plant a vegetable and herb garden in their backyard. My Dad's greatest hope for this venture is tomatoes from the garden. Beyond that, he doesn't care what I plant. Yippee! I've already spent too many hours pouring over gardening books, gleaning for original and thrifty ideas. It is very generous of them to let us use their space. I'm hoping to pass my love of gardening on, showing them how glorious it is to step outside to a garden every morning. To watch the wildlife appear and to smell fresh basil and tomato leaves.
The truth is worrying about some future event does not benefit and is usually detrimental to the cause. All that time spent obsessing is wasted. I've found that it's much more effective to be in the moment, feeling grateful for everything I've been given. I have a roof over my head, a loving husband, an adorable baby (more on him later!!), two happy dogs, and NOW opportunities to farm. I may be a Farm-less Farmer, but I sure don't feel like it.
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