Our kids were in "their element" during Saturday's visit to Ananda Farms (outside of Port Townsend, WA) where Aunt Rachel works and resides. Despite some rain on and off, (Hello...Seattle weather...here) the kids spirits could not be dampened "down on the farm".It is every kids dream to be up and close with farm animals and Aunt Rachel did not disappoint with our own "Back-Stage" pass of this great organic farm. Fiona and Keegan got to feed the sheep, pet the farm cats and dogs, hold baby chickens, stand and listen to the free-ranging turkeys (Gobble, gobble.), dig up beets from the garden for lunch, feed the chickens, and gather the eggs.
I was particularly curious about many of their gardening techniques as they have a successful Farmers Market crop and also eat primarily off their own land. This is a huge dream of my own so it was great to see an operation up close and personal as well as ask many questions. If you have ever read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle you know what I'm referring to in producing your own food and eating food completely locally. And...if you haven't read this book it is in my opinion a MUST read.
Honestly, the entire family was in "their element". As the kids snoozed in the back seat from a long day at the farm, Drew and I tossed back and forth dreams and ideas of actually owning our own land/farm someday. Maybe it is just a dream, but maybe it is a dream worth achieving.
In the meantime, I'm revamping ideas for the garden for next year. My main goals this next year are to:
1. Change my current composting system
2. Add a natural watering system (possibly utilizing a rain barrel)
3. Add fruit trees to our property
4. Add a chicken coop and chickens
Maybe our parents read too many farm books when we were kids or maybe that "Iowa" blood of working the land never leaves us...but being on the farm on Saturday brought such peace and joy to all of our souls.
From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean
4 comments:
Pictures on the farm!! How adorable, I am so glad you finally got out to visit, now you will want to go back again, and next time with grandma!
That's really cool!! I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up (for a job that is), but I've always had the dream of having my own place, off the grid, where I'm totally self-sustainable...it's my one real goal in life. Next year will be my first "real" summer in our house now and I'm totally revamping the yard into a garden. Do you guys live in town? We aren't allowed to have any kind of lifestock (including chickens) within city limits, so that will have to wait til we have our homestead. Good luck to your family with that!
Sydney asked recently if we could live on a farm so she could have a cow. She loves workin in the garden.
This summer I purchased some nectarines at a farmer's market. As she was about to eat one, Sydney asked me where the sticker was. Hello! I informed her they were straight from the farm, so there was no sticker. An enlightening moment to say the least.
Looks like so much fun! Wish we could have been there to play with you, we LOVE Ananda farm. Rachel is most definetely the current FA... (favorite Aunt).
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