Monday, October 27, 2014

Little Poor Farm on the Prairie

Little Poor Farm on the Prairie
What's one more year among friends?



Welllll....as Samantha Stephens used to say to Darin in the 1960's TV show when she was about to admit something that might not bode well for her, wellll.....it appears as once again, financing is just not going to happen for the last couple we've been working with. This obviously means no move to The Poor Farm anytime soon. When we purchased the 7 acres last fall we were sure we'd be living there in a months time. Now don't get me wrong, we are definitely into miracles and if one makes its face known we can pack up and ship out in no time flat, but realistically it looks like Prince Farming and his way past Midlife Farmwife are here on South Pork Ranch for the time being.

Now here's the good news. It's been a fabulous summer here. After last winters frigid air and snow dumps our livestock blossomed with the summers lower temps, frequent rains and thick pastures. In years past like in the drought we had two summers ago, we were feeding hay in early July. This year the pastures even now on October 27, look like spring. The growth is so lush we still must watch animals closely for bloat when turned into new areas, something we normally only need to vigilant about in spring.

The Red Wattles have caught up with their breeding schedules and litters born have been large and healthy. All of our pork that will be market age this fall is sold out with none additional available for sale until February. All the beef that grew little or none when the cold was at its worst have bounced back and after months of not having any beef even for ourselves, our freezers are filling up again. Milk production has been so good we were able to take some folks off our raw milk waiting list and actually put them on the raw milk GETTING list! Nothing like great pastures to make great milk. In addition, our very loyal customers remained even more loyal.

And so we sit back (just for a minute) to lick some wounds and then grill up some steaks and lick our fingers. We have plenty of food for ourselves, lots leftover for our customers and the ability physically and mentally to keep doing the work we are doing. Don't cry for us Argentina...instead check out some recent pics of The Poor Farm which has waited this long for new residents, it can wait a little longer.

The 100 year old barn being picked apart piece by piece.
Treasures have been found.

Nature reclaims that once abandoned



 




 


 
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14 comments:

  1. Perhaps the collective will of all your customers is keeping you there so that you can continue to supply them with awesome produce.

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    1. You say "collective will" we say blackmail....actually its all good. I am a firm believer that life throws you what it is going to throw you. we can't control that we can only control how we react. Today I am reacting positively but who knows what tomorrow may bring!

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  2. I really thought you'd SOLD this time; what a bugg*r. Still, all things come right in the end, and it'll probably happen when you least expect it. Poor Farm looking good.

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    1. Us too Cro, Us too. Oh bla dee oh bla da life goes on eh? Thank God for those grandchildren who keeps us focused on the really important things.

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  3. Would it be possible for you to do a contract-for-deed? We were having great difficulty in selling our house, so we went that route and it ended up great. It won't work if you need a big chunk of money to be able to move on. In a contract-for-deed situation, your buyer puts up a down payment, a bank or escrow company holds the deed, and you carry the balance of the mortgage for a specific length of time (we did five years). The buyers are responsible for paying property taxes and insurance (must document that with you each time they make a payment). If at any time the buyer fails to make a payment, you immediately get the property back without going through a foreclosure process and keep the down payment. In our case, our buyers refinanced and paid it off in three years.

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  4. Dang it, we were so excited for you. Bummer...but hey, I just always think that it means that wasn't the right person, and the it's just following this path so that the right person gets it.

    P.S. I can't wait to hear what treasures have been found! I would love to poke around in an old building like that!

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    1. It is cool still digging around the Poor Farm. Tons of old metal and steel that will make great recycled things, don't know what yet but they will be loaded with Patina. ...Patina, what a cool name for a girl...just saying.

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  5. Well, crap. But, crap is good for compost / fertilizer, right?
    Wow, that was a pathetic go at trying to make you feel better about the situation. But I know you guys will keep on trucking.

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    1. Crap about sums it up Carolyn. But then again if this life thing was so easy no one would ever leave it would they? And then where would we be? Crowded. That's where we'd be.

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  6. Oh, I'm sorry to hear that Donna. On the bright side, at least you won't be freezing your ass off at the Poor Farm while writing essays! I am sorry though and hope something else comes along soon. xxx
    Karma!

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    1. Funny you should say that Lorna, now that it looks like we wont be living in a 200 sg foot camper for the winter our old farmhouse is looking real cozy. Something else will come along..one day..hopefully before we are dead..:)

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  7. i am so very, very, very sorry that the sale seems to have fallen through, once again. bless you! but i am so very, very glad you've had a BOUNTY year while waiting it out. good luck in that winter preparation stuff! lordy! or should i say, 'crap!' :)

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  8. Beautiful photos, really beautiful! I especially love the moss on the old barn. I bet you found lots of treasures picking through it. That's the kind of treasure hunting I love! I'm so sorry the sale hasn't worked out, I know it keeps you in limbo and that's really hard. But maybe you don't really want to be moving to the Poor Farm right before winter hits? Maybe God has His hand in the timing.

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  9. Well, I'm sorry too that the potential sale fell through. I honestly dislike all the waiting and anticipation that comes with selling or buying. Nerve wracking.

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