the Farmstead

Saturday, November 11th...

drove 444 miles to arrive at land that some friends bought and moved onto, only 3 short months ago.  They were living in MN for a number of years, married, and adopted 4 children, the oldest being 7.  Joel befriended Andy at their place of work a few years ago.  I met Andy and his husband Lou at a Christmas party they hosted, and saw them at a few other parties they invited us to.  They are wonderful guys, and I was looking forward to seeing them again.

There is a house on their land.  Half of it is  really old, and the other was an addition.  It's a funky hodgepodge of building, with two "birds nest" balconies on both ends of the house, some open rafters in the ceiling, and lots of wood.  I love it.  There is a lot of work they want to do on the  inside.  There is a lot of work to do around the outside, as well.  They've ALREADY been doing and constructing  a lot, to properly accommodate their critter collection.  There is a TON more they want to do tho.  That's where Joel and I come in 😉

We pulled into Andy and Lou's around 7pm Saturday night to excited, screaming children jumping up and down on the front porch, spilling out into the yard.  There was a nice warmth to the air as we stepped out of the truck.  Lou told us to just leave ourselves parked where we were, then Andy came wandering up as well.  We were all SO HAPPY to see each other! 

Now, ever since Joel and I have been together, we've talked about having a little hobby farm.  He LOVES goats.  (Who doesn't? In this day and age!)   I love rabbits.  I want a dog one day.  We want our own chickens, for their eggs, and to bond with.  Maybe a dairy cow, or sheep, for yummy raw milk and butter and cheeses.   We enjoy growing food, and fermenting.  Etc.
These are all things that Andy and Lou have a passion for and an interest in as well.  In fact, it was Andy that got Joel growing oyster mushrooms inside our home this year!
So when Joel came home from work one day to announce that our friends found land to move onto and start really living this dream, i was so overjoyed for them!
And now here we are  😁

We didn't even wait until daylight- the guys gave us flashlights and toured us around to see the goat pen, the chicken coup, the quail sleeping in an arranged, perfect circle in their cage, the many rabbits in their "tractor" (this clever cage, that has wheels on one end, so you can pull it onto a fresh patch of grass every day.), and the two little Pyrenees puppies.  They showed us their tractor, their well, and the field that spreads over to the (fishing) pond we'd walk to the next day.  It was so thrilling to see it all, even in the dark!

Eventually we made it inside, had the house tour, and then they offered us dinner.  I was hungry!  And actually intrigued by what they had on the menu for us that night:  rabbit soup.
If you know me, you know i love to cuddle bunnies!  But Joel and I have "bunnysat" their first 3 rabbits a couple different times, while their family had to make long journeys and couldn't take the with them. So I knew what i was in store for:  they were raising rabbits for their own source of meat.  I had tried rabbit at a restaurant before and it reminded me much of chicken.  It was good.  So i opted in, saying yes to the rabbit soup.
And it was delicious.  with chucks of potato and carrot and celery... it was a hearty, warming meal, much appreciated. 

We sat up chatting enthusiastically in the living room for another hour or so, then started feeling ready to turn in.   We were offered a bed, but with the warmer temps outside, we were all about sleeping in our own bed out in the camper.  But before we made it out the door for the night, Lou handed us each a key to the house.  They figured we are staying a while!!  I laughed.  We could be.

 
When we went outside we could hear coyotes howling and yipping.  They did not sound very far away.  Andy and Lou's critters have been safe for the most part.  The puppies are outdoor dogs only, but they are kept in their doghouse overnight, until they get older and can better defend themselves.  Right now they're just cute fluffy balls of love!  They are growing FAST now tho, Lou says.

We hear the coyotes every night.  As they just begin to start hollering, making a ruckus, then turning into howls, I always pause and wonder momentarily, "is that a FRAT PARTY??  Sounds like a bunch of drunk college guys."  !!!   Oi.

The following day, we move and situate our home for our stay.