An Introduction

Hi there!
By way of introduction, I am The Natural Novice Farmer. My hubby & I grew up mostly in big to mid-sized cities. He was a tech-geek who's family was from the South and I was a natural health practitioner who's family is from the North East. Both of us considered ourselves to be at least moderately aware of what was happening in our respective worlds. As he educated me on computers (at least as much as he could), I began educating him on how to be healthy.

When I first met him, he lived on fast-food and instant meals. As we lived together, I began showing him how to eat more nutritiously (even sneaking in vegetables when he wasn't looking) and he noticed how he started feeling better. So, we decided to get more involved in a healthier lifestyle, but in a big city apartment, there wasn't much we could do except shop smarter, try to grow what we could to supplement our food shopping and exercise inside (too many dangers in our neighborhood to go walking). In the 10 square feet of dirt we had in our back patio, I began growing whatever I could-from flowers to food- though none of it really survived my "black thumb of death"- at least that's how it started.

Ever determined I could grow SOMETHING, my husband humored me with a bonsai tree (that still survives me 3 years later). A friend, who knew my garden tales of woe, gave me a baby spider plant that thrived under my care- and it's baby's still grow. From there I bought 2 aloe plants that are beautiful and vibrant still. Then came the challenge: food plants. I tried tomatoes that never lived to produce anything edible. I tried herbs that faltered and faded away. Then, we decided that we would give away rosemary plants as favors at our wedding. The left over plants we put in a huge planter and only 1 survived... but it thrived! My confidence renewed, I tried sweet potatoes... the spring of 2009, I was able to harvest enough to make a fantastic sweet potato casserole! The elation of being able to eat and present what I grew was fantastic. Unfortunately, with only 10 square feet of planting space, my gardening was severely limited.

About this time, we really began to be disenchanted with the US Food System and the options available at local markets. We learned that Organic doesn't necessarily mean healthy and that just because it's for sale as food doesn't mean that it's worth eating. Rest assured that as time goes on, I will explain this.

Though my work was helping others, my own dreams of having a family were put on hold so I could work to pay the bills. I wasn't living the lifestyle that I recommended to my clients: purposeful with minimal stress. I was over-worked, over stressed, under satisfied and farther from my ideals than I would like to admit. My husband seldom saw me due to my office & private practices and we were drifting. If something didn't change soon, all I would have was my work. After a health crisis mid 2009, we decided to live for us and try to find a way to live our dreams of family, community and food worth eating.

My hubby inherited a farm when his grandparents passed away that had been- for all intents and purposes- uninhabited for 15 years. So, we decided to make the big jump to the Rural South East and begin living what we'd been dreaming about. So, us 2 city-slickers (a Southern Gentleman and a damned Yankee Woman) set forth on a great adventure of restoring the farm, establishing ourselves and living our dreams.

I hope this blog will inspire others to follow your hearts and do what is necessary to be true to you. I will include short stories about our culture-shock and transition from city life to rural life, how-to's in sustainable farming and living practices, recipes, inspirations, successes and failures, and plenty of eye candy (i.e. pictures of our new life).

Brightest Blessings to all! And to all, a good life!