This past year was one of many firsts for us: first farm, first goats, first pigs, first bacon and cheese making, the list could go on and on. It’s been a year of exploring new dreams, tackling new adventures and getting out of our comfort zone, yet again. 2014 wasn’t just a good year, it was one of the best….and that is a bold statement coming from a couple who just spent a year gallivanting around tropical waters on a sailboat.
This year, among other things, we helped (okay, we mostly watched) five new goat babies enter this world. We were in awe as they took their first steps, suckled their first sip of milk and learned to climb every stump and boulder on site. We got into the rhythm of milking our goats each morning. We built a bee hive with our bare hands, and gave beekeeping a brief try. We watched over them lovingly for 5 days, and then they left us for greener pastures (more on that to come).
We cared for and raised three little pigs and watched them grow from 20 lb piglets to gigantic waddling beasts. We then slaughtered and butchered our first domesticated mammals, and rode that moral and emotional roller coaster all the way to the freezer. We got ourselves a rooster, with the hopes of raising meat birds next year and furthering ourselves even more from the commercial meat industry.
We’ve been amazed, and humbled. This entire year has been an adventure in new experiences, steep learning curves and most of all, lots of joy every night as we look out over our pastures and our woods at sunset.
As we look forward to 2015, we’re going to tackle even more challenges. Not only will we be making more small steps towards sustainability on our homestead, we’ll also be writing for an online homesteading organization, Pioneer Settler. In addition, sailing will once again suck us briefly away from our landlubbing ways. We’re looking forward to a new year and another round of new firsts, both on the land and the sea.
Mark and Katie,
I love what you are doing. Can I come visit and work for free for a week?
Matt
(ill fated flight to Homer)
Hi Matt!
Great to hear from you and glad you are still poking around on the blog! We’re always open to free labor here on the farm – come on down! Seriously though, definitely give us a shout if you end up in this neck of the woods. It would be great to see you.
– Katie and Mark
A busy and productive year. You have jibed well.
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