Guest Post: littleflock

Why hello, I am Kaela, author of littleflock and I am so humbled to be guest posting for McKenzie. I have been an adorer of her beautiful blog for quite some time now, and am overjoyed for her and her very soon to be hubby. Before I get into other things, I want to wish them the absolute best in all they choose to do and be together!

When deciding what exactly to write about, I was really drawing blanks.

I have been a bit absent minded lately as we have been finally settling down, and finding our natural rhythm again. After three months of traveling it feels overwhelming good to get settled and to be able to make a home here. As a wife, and mother it's assuredly something that I long for.

To arrange the furniture just right, to hang the family photos, and ultimately to have that stability of being home. However I have come to understand that what feels like home is beyond specific terrain and architecture.

Home has proven itself to be within those of which I cherish and love.

From the time we left Ohio, heading south, driving through the everglades, living atop of a mountain in a three hundred square foot cabin, to the Oregon trail. While I missed the loves ones I left in Ohio, the sense of home never left.

Just being with Logan and Nora always felt like home.

Where ever we are, where ever we end up, I know I'll always be home.

And as cheesy as it may sound, home's never felt so good.

McKenzie and Jamie, congratulations on finding your way home.

I am so thrilled for the both of you!

Guest Post: A Nest of Gentlefolk

 On city living and dreams for the future.

 

Gosh, I can’t even remember how I managed to stumble across this wonderful space that is Oliver and Abraham’s. All I know is that there is something that brings me back here every week. Living the farming life vicariously has become a major habit of mine. I guess that’s what happens when you live in a city but see yourself in a different place in the future.

Living in the city (albeit a small one) in a rental, with minimal sunshine hitting potential garden spaces, it’s challenging to live a homestead kind of life, even of the urban variety. However, being in this city has given me access to a community of people as well as some fantastic resources which have provided forums for learning, sharing and acquiring information and skills that will accompany me on the journey forward, wherever that may lead.  These community connections and resources have their ebbs and flows. For a while I met with a friend regularly and we tended each others gardens together, a current season sees experimentation with raw milk and the potential for homemade yoghurt and cheese, a course in permaculture provided a bout of inspiration and learning, skillcycle workshops provide a platform to share our knowledge and gain new skills, books I’ve read stay with me, live stories like Oliver and Abraham’s allow me an ongoing glimpse into farm life with all its challenges and glory.

I’m not sure whether we will ever have a farm as such.  If we settle in the urban environment then I will hope for space to grow and chickens to keep, if we end up in a rural home then I hope that we can extend this a little more.  For now, this gives me hope in the moment and encouragement to ‘bloom where I’m planted’:

‘Everyone is a farmer and everyone has their paddock. Whether you have six pots, six square metres or 600 acres, it’s your paddock and the lessons are the same. There is nothing we can’t learn from a garden and I don’t think there is anything that a garden can’t do for us. Look at the importance of life – it actually begins in the garden. We are what we eat.’ Costa is obviously passionate about gardening, it’s infectious right? (this is in no way intended to make light of the incredible task that faces those who farm on a bigger scale!).

So, for now I will tend to my little garden mounds, my pots and four sweet chickens.  I will turn the compost, try and nourish us with food made from scratch and support the farmers that are growing organic fruit and vegetables locally to me. I am grateful for all of this. And I will continue to be inspired by those who are living the farm life. 

-Melania from A Nest of Gentlefolk

Guest Post: Little Seed Farm

Blogger Friends, Farming, and Marriage

About a year ago we started writing about our dreams farming, planning to leave a city life, and other homesteading stuff. We didn’t have any idea what to expect. One of our biggest hopes was to find some kindred spirits to share along in the journey. Other beginning farmers, experienced homesteaders, and other similarly crazy people to exchange thoughts with along the way.

Oliver and Abraham's is one of Sweetbreads’ favorite blogs and she stalked it a long time before we started blogging. The pictures are always captivating, the stories heart-warming, and the prose reflective. So when McKenzie first reached out to us it was a lot of fun. Here was a kindred spirit indeed.

Internet relationships between bloggers are a weird thing. You almost never meet the people on the other end in real life, and in this instance she didn’t even know our names. But over the course of many stories told and various ups and downs you get a good feel for the people at the other end. Surely one day our paths will cross and a sheared sheep or a couple pounds of goat cheese will be on the other end.

A little over nine months ago we recited our vows and now McKenzie and Jamie will do the same. We couldn’t be happier for them. Marriage, farming and a long-lasting love. We wish you both the best and we’ll be there in spirit.

-Scrapple and Sweetbreads

farewell for now!

I'm taking a break from this blog for the next three weeks. A much needed break. We only have two weeks until our wedding! So much to do! We're lucky to have so many amazing people supporting us during this busy time. Our families have pulled together and are basically running the show from here on out. All Jamie and I need to do is get this farm in tip-top shape for the party. (Well, we have a lot more than that to do, but farm-work is definitely the most pertinent and labor-intensive...)

I've asked for guest blog posts from some of my favorite bloggers out there, so definitely check in daily for a fun mix of photos and writing. I'm so excited to see what they send my way! I'm off to do some weeding and mulching now... 

:)

poppies and mint water

reservoir update

in the calm light of dusk

fireflies are awake

pond scum cleaned

pollen smells musky and sweet

grass is mowed to make way for tents

wild roses wilting

daisies reaching for the sun

potatoes are huge

onions strong

new baby chicks arrived

ducks sweet (and muddy) as ever