The Pasture Fence!

Phase 2 of Wit's End Farm is finally underway.  It's been a long time coming, Phase 1 of building Wit's End Farm took us much longer than we had anticipated, but we're here now, and I'm very excited to be moving forward with the pasture.

Clearing the fence line!  3-16-2015

You know, sometimes life, health, and other unexpected opportunities for growth present themselves, and we have the choice to either adapt, or to struggle against the situation.  As circumstances slow us down, we can choose to take that time to be still, to seek out what lesson there is to learn in each challenge.  Life isn't always about moving forward, but sometimes it's about learning how to get back up and press on after being knocked backwards.

Just the beginning...so much more to come!  3-16-2015

Having had Bill's youngest brother Jim here for several months was such a blessing. Not only for the work he has helped Bill with, but for his positive attitude and easy-going spirit.  God is certainly looking out for us.  What brought Jim here to us this time was a year of great loss for him, but he has turned it into a positive by focusing on helping others while waiting for direction for his future. There's a great lesson in there somewhere.

Setting some fence posts!  4-2-2015

So, with that said, time marches on, and the clearing of the fence line does as well. And it is a slow march, but they head out each day with the resolve to conquer a few more feet, and it's getting closer and closer.  As of the writing of this paragraph, and the photo below, it has been ten weeks of hard labor, mostly on the fence line every day.  There have been some days they worked on other things, like clearing out the garage so my car could be parked inside, and like planting fifteen or so trees and bushes that had been in need of a permanent home before the rains come.  And other stuff like machinery repairs, lawn maintenance, and some time off for much needed R&R.  But the major focus has always been the fence.

The last section to be cleared!  4-16-2015

Today is April 16th, and it is after 7:00 PM, they will be coming in soon for some dinner, so I need to get to it.  Got to keep these men well fed.  More later.

Now that's a lot of cleared brush and trees!  4-28-2015

And there it is burning down to nothing!  4-28-2015

They've been working very hard, today was a very long day.  Just about 9 hours straight of cutting, clearing, and stacking very heavy trees and logs.  I am amazed at my husband at 69 years old with an artificial heart valve, a pacemaker, and a bum knee, he can still work like a 50 year old man.  He loves this kind of work, too.  They are telling me that it won't be long now until they can string a line and dig more fence post holes on the last side.  Hopefully, they're right.

Yes, another pile of debris 5-22-2015

And, there it goes up in flames again 5-22-2015

September, 2016

And the clearing, and the burning, and the digging and the planting continued on for 2 1/2 more months.  Just before Jim left, the boys worked very hard on putting in the agricultural water lines.  Our son and daughter also helped out on this project.  That was a whole lot of digging and laying down lines, but it was another necessary evil to be conquered.  I took a long pause from this blog post, so will try to catch up on what's been happening. Jim met and ultimately married a wonderful woman.  He left us in August to tend to his own life. Waiting on God for direction is never a bad thing.  They are very happy together, and we love her dearly. 

Jim and Teresa

Building the fence has taken a long reprieve for Bill to have a knee replaced in February 2016.  It hasn't been an easy recovery for him, but now, September 2016 he is slowly getting back to being himself again.  Our daughter moved up here from Florida (July 2015) which has made us very happy.  Now all of our little family can be together again.  She had to deal with some medical issues, (she inherited my hips,) and we have taken some time out to help her recover.  She bounced back pretty quickly.  

Jim and Teresa came down recently and put in a very long day working on the fence line with Bill. They dug many more holes and planted several posts, and did more clearing.  And, time still marches on.    

March, 2018

And here we are again.  I don't know what we have been doing the last year and a half.  Helping our daughter and grandchildren some, working on the pasture in between life's happenings.  Getting a little side hobby going making bath and body products.  That one took a lot of time and research.  It's going pretty good right now.  I pray that it continues to do so.  I think there was a little vacation in there somewhere, at times  I miss Florida, and it helps to go back for a few days, that's all I need.

Jim and Teresa came for a working weekend again this month to help with getting the pasture up and running.  Bill chose to have him help with digging the trenching and laying down the lines for the electric to the pasture fence and the outbuildings.  They worked so hard for 2 1/2 days, but it turned out to be the springboard to getting this project done.

May, 2018

And, so, we work on to the goal of a hobby farm that would be able to sustain if the need arose.  For that one would need some animals of a sort.  We've had chickens for several years, and we do love the wonderful eggs they provide.  My dream of looking out onto a beautiful pasture with cows peacefully munching away has been with me since childhood.  My dear Mother used to tell me stories of how it was her job as a little girl to bring the family milk cow in from the pasture at the end of the day.  I guess that influenced me greatly, with my love for animals of all kinds, and my great love and respect for my dear Mama.  Since I am the youngest of seven children, I was enamored as a little girl with the tales of my siblings adventures on a farm my parents owned for a few years before I was born, and on our grandparents farm as well.  That was all before my time, I was just one year old when my folks sold the farm and moved to the suburbs.  So, fortunately, my wonderful husband has worked very hard to bring both of our dreams to fruition.  Here are a few pictures of this dream's fulfillment.

Dolly, our Jersey Heifer

Ginger, a Guernsey Heifer

Bella (aka Bossy) our Belted Galloway Heifer

And here they are, all three loving the life of a cow!

So, yeah, that's not all, there are some sheep too!  Yep, we dove right in, no testing the waters with a toe this time.  At our age, sometimes waiting just doesn't make sense.  I'm not too sure about the sheep just yet, I think maybe they'll grow on me over time.  They're cute for sure, it's just that sound they make, "Baaa",  sounds so demanding.  But, little Opal, Pearl, Ivy and Willow will have the life of luxury here on our little piece of heaven making babies.  When they grow up, that is.

Pearl and Opal chillin' in the clover

Mama Ivy and baby Willow, checking out their new digs 

Will there be more to this story?  Well, phase 2 of Wit's End Farm took us quite a few years, so, the good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, yes, there's more in the plans.  Now with all the agricultural water lines in, certified, and working well, and electricity out to the fence, chicken coop, and shed, we're ready to take on Phase 3.  A bit more fencing, a bit more work, building a barn, and I see some adorable little goats in our future.  And, of course a donkey, why, doesn't everyone want a donkey?  Now, there's a sound that just makes me giggle, "Heeeeeee Haw, hee haw hee haw".  So, so darn cute!  What?  Is it just me?  I adore that sound, and can't wait until that day comes along.  Ducks and geese?  Rabbits?  Yeah, maybe, why not?  Swine?  Mmmm, not sure about that one.  Til later...as we work on phase 3.

  

Carpe Diem! Lil and Bill