Friday, September 26, 2008

Dream a Little Dream With Me :)

I’ve been dreaming a little dream for awhile now and I thought I would write a post about it so you can dream with me.

Currently I am trapped in a 8 – 5, M – F, I have to pay my mortgage/carpayment/buynewclothesforwork/payhalfmysalarytodaycare/eatoutbecauseIamtootiredtocook RUT!!!

It seems like everything we do costs a ton of money, and nothing we do is making us any happier. I assume that part of my discontent is the horrid state of affairs with our economy. But part of my discontent goes so much deeper.

Until 6 years ago I lived in the country. I had chickens, horses, a dog, and a huge garden. Now I am a slave to The Man and I am really unhappy with my current situation.

The mortgage industry failure has trapped me in my house. It’s hard to refinance, and equally as hard to sell right now. So, what is a country girl to do that is trapped in the city?

I’ve been giving this a lot of thought lately…my baby has turned one without me. He has learned new words, new skills, and bonded with a mommy who is not his flesh and blood. Don’t get me wrong, my daycare is wonderful, but she isn’t me. And I miss my son. I miss his smiles and his snuggles…and I miss holding him as he falls to sleep after lunch.

Here is my dream –

Call my parents up (who are nearing retirement and are overwhelmed with their farm) and say – hey can we rent your entire upstairs (4 bedrooms/ 1500 sf)? They say yes…

So we call the neighbor who covets our yard and say hey – want to buy our house? He says - yes I’ll be right over with a check (hehe – remember this is MY dream).

Then I would call up my employer and say – thanks for 7 years of employment, but I am outta here!

We’d have to prepare the upstairs to live in since it has been uninhabited for 3 years…
We would add solar panels for water heating and perhaps radiant floor heating. We would put in a woodstove that has the capability to heat water as well to account for the multitude of cloudy days in Oregon...

Then we’d fence, put up a chicken coop, and start farming.

I’d buy goats (for brush clearing and milk), pigs, chickens and a steer. For the fiancé I would buy a Donkey or a Mule since he has wanted one for as long as I can remember. I want a horse again someday too.

We’d bring our hottub and set it up to run on solar too.
I’d build an outdoor shower with nearly unlimited hot water that we could use from May to October all thanks to the sunshine. The shower water would run off and feed the gardens.

We’d put in cisterns to catch the 40 odd inches of rain that falls each year and then keep our gardens as green as can be with that free water.

I’d spend every day teaching my baby to love and respect nature.
I’d cook entire meals from items grown only our farm.
This is my dream and my bliss!!

19 comments:

It's me said...

Beautiful dream.

Of course, the only reason we know it's a dream is this line "could use from May to October all thanks to the sunshine". Um, isn't that MY side of the mountain you're talking about :) Of course, the parents' farm may BE on my side, for all I know.

I have a similar dream. Shame that Husband absolutely LOVES where we live and has no desire to live in the country. GRRRRRR.

Secret Garden Supper Club said...

I'm struggling with my fiance with the same issues.
He is such a city boy and it's killing me!

My parents are between Portland and the Coast...so yeah maybe May to Oct is stretching it hehe.

;)

Anonymous said...

Meadowlark cracks me up!

We share your dream and began working towards sustainability while living in suburbia. Then, when we moved, we ventured out to a property with three acres and far from any housing complexes or suburbs. We are inching ever closer to our future farm -- the one with room for cows and hay rides and horses and a HUGE pumpkin patch.

Blessings and thanks for visiting the blog and entering the contest!

Lacy

Milkweed said...

Go, girl, go! You can do it.

Putting the dream out there is the first step. I quit my job 3 years ago and am growing food, patching together contract work, and scraping by and SO much happier!

I did it by renting out my house in the city and borrowing against it (maybe equity will be worth something again one day?) I hope the economic house of cards doesn't fall before I can sell my house, and before you can make your dream come true....

Let it be so....

Anonymous said...

That's a beautiful dream! Now, what small step can you take to move you closer to it?

Danni said...

A year ago I had no idea I'd be living where I am today...with 11 chickens, 3 donkeys (and more on the way)...your dream can happen - the hardest part is already behind you: you've visualized where you want to be and how to get there. You can do it!

Secret Garden Supper Club said...

Now that I posted this, I can't stop thinking about it :)

Yesterday I talked to my sister-in-law who works at the local market part time. She was telling me how her boss loves to try out new/local products...which started me thinking about what I could do to capitalize on that!!

It's me said...

We just came back from a Farmer's Market and I noticed that the marionberry jam was marked (and selling) at $4.50 a jar. I totally can make that and for less than $4.50 a jar. Something for me to think about as well.
We all need to be thinking "outside the box", don't we!

Secret Garden Supper Club said...

Think of the possibilities!

Marionberry Jam
Blackberry Jam
Strawberry Jam
Gourmet Mustards
Gourmet Syrups
ETC ETC

And then my other secret dream - having a herd of goats and making dreamy, creamy organic ice cream from their milk.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Danni said...

Mmmm....I'm with you on all the berry, fruit and homemade products. Sadly though, as much as I like goats and would love to have a couple as pets again, I simply cannot STAND the smell or taste of goat milk or cheese. Maybe you can explain the appeal to me. Someone was telling me about the heavenly flavor of goat milk and I recently went out and tried it again. I swear, all I could taste was the *smell* of my old billy goat, Rodney! Blech! Is this an acquired taste?

Secret Garden Supper Club said...

I think that all milk, whether it be cow, goat, sheep, or any other mammal, takes on a flavor from the animal's diet.

What you need to try is goat milk from a strictly grass or alfalfa fed goat. They can't eat any junk like brush or weird plants. It'll taint the flavor.

Wait until I have my herd someday. I will give you some homemade strawberry goats milk ice cream and hopefully you will change your mind!

Danni said...

That would be lovely! I would LOVE to love goat milk products...

It's me said...

Our local goat cheese farm is the only place I've ever tried that I actually LIKE the taste. I commented on that and they said it's because they absolutely NEVER let the females around the male goats. Well, um, you know, except that one time. But keeping them completely separate afterward is supposedly a major component in avoid the "goaty" taste.
Just my two cents.

RazorFamilyFarms.com said...

Are you still dreaming? I came back by in hopes of more to read!!!

Blessings!
Lacy
P.S. I posted a story start that I would love your feedback on.

Anonymous said...

Having been trapped a couple of times, I say start making those phone calls. Perhaps you and fiance could rent your current house and agree to give the farm life a try for a while. He might decide he likes it, especially if the current life is not making him happy. Personally, I would put a life that gave me more time with my kids and the life of my dreams over a situation that is described as "killing me", "trapped", etc. just to be with a man.

--Ave

Secret Garden Supper Club said...

Lacy - I tried to figure out which post, but maybe I am an idiot :)

Anon - I imagine my fiance would actually really love farm life - he just doesn't know the joy of holding a still warm egg in his hands.

Secret Garden Supper Club said...

whoops instead of anon I should have said Ave!!

It's me said...

Anyone home? knock. knock. knock.
hoo hoooooooo

So guess who is thinking about making and marketing (at least until we have peak oil and it no longer gets shipped here) pineapple-lemon jam?

Of course, that's probably about as far along as I'll get :) I truly am just a worker bee, and don't own (nor really care to own) the own-a-business (can't spell that entrepr...whatever word) spirit.

Sverige said...

I trained as a classical vocalist in college but stopped because of family and career. When I heard Jackie's voice, for the first time in my life I heard perfection. Let's be clear, my voice will never reach the natural perfection she possesses, but listening to her helps me understand the direction I need to be going. Her tones are crystal clear, yet she has vibrato. Her pitch is exact. By trying to emulate her sound, I have actually improved my own voice. In fact I auditioned and was recently accepted into the most prestigious chorus in the city. I credit this achievement in a great part to Jackie because she showed me to way to excellence.