Are You A Farmer or Not?

Now forgive me if I ramble a bit - I've been pretty sick for the last week plus, and this morning is the first that I've felt marginally decent. It's also the first cup of coffee (decaf) that I have had in two weeks. When you're sick, coffee just does not appeal.   

This morning, after feeding and milking by myself for the first time in a while (again - see illness above) I sat on the steps of the deck with a book and a cup of hot coffee in the then 62 degree air and smiled.  A true and genuine from the heart smile.  I watched the dogs play, and pushed their nosey furry faces out of my coffee cup and closed my book.  I looked out over the pasture and watched the now nearly adult kids play and pounce at one another, butting heads as they do.  Gerie was laying in the morning sun next to the duck pen, and the donkeys were nibbling at the low green grass out in the pasture.  The chickens ranged over the entire pasture with a few in each area. 

This is what life really is. 

There are events in daily life that set off a series of thoughts, sometimes very introspective.  It's no secret to some that my husband and I are no longer happy with our jobs.  We are working at resolving these situations, but options are still pretty limited.  Both of our incomes are still highly necessary. 

We are not yet at a financial point that we can jump off the bridge to being full time farmers, but something my mother said to me recently came to mind.  We had been speaking about what hubby and I want to do with our little farm, and my plan for how to grow and develop this into something profitable.  Now let me say this little tidbit about my Mom - she's fantastic and practical and if I want or need advice on our animals and farm she's the first I call.  We are good friends as well as mother and daughter, and I take what she says to heart. 

I digress.  During this conversation, I told her about what we plan in springtime and how other events in our life are going to take a serious back seat.  While those things are important to us, this is more important.  I could just about hear the smile in her voice when she said "Well, are you a farmer or not?  Cookie, you've wanted this all your life and this is your priority so be a farmer!" 

This morning, looking out over the little bitty farm that we have and thinking of all the troubles we have to deal with in day to day life I know more than ever that this is what I really want.  Nothing gives me the deep satisfaction like working with our animals and making something wonderful out of what they produce.  It feeds my soul and fills me with a happiness that there aren't words for.  It also lights the fire to continue to improve our production methods and pursue this dream with vigor despite obstacles. 

As to whether or not we are farmers, today the answer is yes. This is our piece of zen - Zentopia Acres.