One year ago today...

We packed up the last load of our stuff into 2 sedans and, with 3 cats in tow, we set off for our new life on the farm. We had no idea what we were doing, but we were looking forward to the adventure of a lifetime!

We had set some short term goals:

1. Have a kitchen garden. (success with the winter garden, failure in spring/summer garden)
2. Have livestock. (42 beautiful birds bouncing out of their bins)
3. Have a truck. (found a 1984 Ford F150 in usable condition for $1000! Woot!)

These things were set to be achieved within a year of moving here. As of yesterday (I know, down to the wire- right?!), all 3 have been achieved!

Through the year we have had our successes and failures thanks to family, friends, neighbors, fellow farmers, ACES Educational Resources, abnormal temperatures, animals (feral hogs rooting up & eating crops, deer eating my spring/summer veggies!), ignorance (Who knew some trees won't grow here despite what the people at Lowes or the Co-Op says?), drought (almost 2 months straight without rain), money problems (shoestring budget), insects (damned fire ants)... etc.

1. I'm halfway through my Master Gardener classes which should help me yield a better garden to harvest fresh produce from year-round! 
2. Our birds are just about ready to go outside. We just need to finish the coop/pen/shelter for them this weekend before our little jumpers get into trouble in the house. 
3. The truck needs some work, true... but it's nothing we can't handle. It's mostly personalization and getting it fit to do what we need around here. 

Once I start working off-farm next week, the budget will be happier and we'll be able to do more around the place. 

Our goals for year 2:

1. Get cows
2. Get Goats
3. Get Sheep
4. Solar panels or windmill for power (not a requirement, but would be nice!)

Now that we're more familiar with the farm and will have an increased budget, I'm sure that these goals can be attained with a bit more speed than last year's goals.