Post 2-fer: "Dam, Beavers & Fallen Trees" & Goals 2014
Dam, Beavers & Fallen TreesIwent to the farm today and busted up some beaver dams (the beavers have turned our property into a swampy mess) and I cut 3 hackle berry trees...I wasn't paying attention and my saw tip got pinched. I tried to use some ratchet straps to release some of the tension but that didn't work. I had to use a handsaw and cut the tree to get my saw unstuck. The cross section of the tree was probably as big as a laptop....it wasn't too bad but it kinda sucked sawing the tree with an old handsaw....Also a tree by the creek fell onto the property and landed right where I put my tent when I camp down there. I'm glad it fell while I wasn't camping. : ) Clint On the same day, I posted goals for 2014. No one has ever said I lack ambition.2/16/2014 Being a firm believer in Lists and Goals, I made a list of accomplishments I hoped we could achieve in the first few years On Burton Farm. This was a stream-of-consciousness exercise and is not prioritized yet. 2014 Goals for Burton Farm1. Build Access to Property from Alabama Highway. Cost $2500!? 2. Acquire a Real Live 911 Address. Cost $15. 3. Name the Land (DONE! On Burton Farm. 2/2014) 4. Decide on Grape Variety & Plant Vineyard 5. Cut down/Clear Brush and small trees (Bigger project than expected; lacking equipment!) 6. Put the chickens on the land in a temporary Coop(DONE! 2/1/14) 7. Build Permanent Coop & Safe Place from Coyotes (DONE! 4/2014) 8. Build Bridge over the Beavers' Project 9. Start Beekeeping, Add Hives, Produce Honey to help support Farm. Side Hustle is born. 10. Determine varieties of fruits trees to grow. Plant Orchard. Sell fruit at Farmer's Market. Another Side Hustle is born. 11. Build Firepit / Resting Spot (Done! Not real chichi, but done) 12. Dig Trenches for Improved Water Flow. (Anyone want to loan us some bulldozers or anything?) 13. Plant 2014 Vegetable Garden (Done! 5/2014) 14. Sell Vegetables at Farmers Market to support the farm. Can/Dry/Freeze Overflow of Vegetables 15. Build Greenhouse or at least Cold Frames (Well, we collected some window panes...) 16. Get Goats for Poison Ivy Destruction. It's everywhere. We need a herd. Consider renting them out to other landowners who need Poison Ivy removed. Another idea for a side hustle...(Done! 9/14 & 12/14) 17. Prowl Craigslist for Free Livestock: Chickens, Goats, Cows, Ducks, Mules...whoever needs a safe home 18. Adopt a Farm Dog, preferably a rescue...maybe a couple of them (Done! July 2015) 19. Move to Farm - Build Cabin? Drop a Mobile Home? Too Low without septic work. 20. Prep Townhome for Sale (Done! May 2016) 21. Secure Climate-Controlled Storage Unit, if necessary 22. Get Power to the Farm, at least temporary 23. Determine Site Location for House. Perc Test 24. Research Solar Panels for House, Chicken Coop 25. Research WIND for Harvesting Energy 26. Turn Bulletin Board into To-Scale Land Draft (DONE! JAN 2014) 27. Build Large Compost Bins (Out of Pallets? Scrap Wood) 28. Get Water to the Farm. Consider laying this pipe ourselves to save funds... 29. Research Drainage and Perc Solutions I'm sure there are more goals I hadn't thought of at the time. We need to repair the fence around the property in a few places and then fence in the front. When that is complete, we can plow ahead with acquiring donkeys and goats. Next Task: Prioritize the List UPDATE: Well, we accomplished 10 1/2 out of 29 WILDLY AMBITIOUS GOALS for 2014. I guess that's not bad given the tiny humans we produced and all the other stuff going on in our lives, right? Pretty proud of what we did get accomplished at that property there, and also super-grateful for the opportunity to get it right here on the mountain (where it never seems to rain...maybe we should be hosting weddings.) The original posts were first published on Onburtonfarm.weebly.com on February 16, 2014 and have since been modified with links and updates. So, this is kind of how I feel about the farm, kind of caught off-guard, like this deer.Three years ago, I was single with no children, just me and my umpteen year old cat, Willie...
Now I have a husband, a son, and eight and a half acres in Smalltown, Alabama. It's kind of low and will need some work to improve drainage, but we couldn't wait to get started on our farm, so my husband brought home some week-old baby chickens (and a duck!) and we kept them in the garage until they feathered out. He likes the chopping of the wood and the clearing of the land and the building of the chicken coop. Right now, I just want to name the chickens. And the duck. ~Erica The original post was first published on Onburtonfarm.weebly.com on February 10, 2014, and has been edited with links. A New Baby! A New Page! 4/21/2016
Ok, a few new babies. In fact, nearly an entirely new farmbly has been born in the two years since we posted. The most recent was a little billy goat born to Joy and Noel. Three months ago, Noel and Chrissy had a baby girl goat, who has not yet been named, either.
Oh, dear.
You haven't met Chrissy and Joy yet. The new crew of Dominecker chickens have started laying eggs and Amigo, the baddest Red Rooster in town, guards them closely. We have two dogs, one was a rescue whose owner had died and the other is still defiantly in puppy phase. We have eight baby ducks the boys got for Easter this year.
Boys.
Yes. Sting has a brother, Ax, and he's just a little older now than Sting was at the time of our last post. I should be ashamed, but I'm not.
Because we have an entirely new farm, and wild visions of being debt free, producing eggs, honey, goat cheese, grape vines and an orchard and a garden and all sorts of things and I feel like I'm overflowing with awesome, feeling the feels!
So I'm going to try to get us all caught up.
But not all today.
Inaugural Post 4/20/16
We Homestead. We Money. And now, we Blog. Welcome to the inaugural post by Owning Burton Farm at owningburtonfarm.com.These are the first of several posts that are going in the ground to support the fence for the garden. I said I didn't want to put in a lot of effort on a garden if the goats and the dogs are running loose. I only play to win and that right there's a losing game, I already know. Jenny, our one year-old dog has ripped out the last four small seedlings I've planted in my front door containers, so what's to stop her from rolling around in a huge garden bed? Nothing! So my husband agreed to install a fence. But knowing us, we aren't just going out and buying a bunch of new fencing materials. We will reuse some old posts and some wire fencing we already own from another project. I want to formally acknowledge the irony of my first post being about some posts. Stay with me here, please. This is just the beginning of our new chapter here on Burton Farm.I've had several weeks to really think and talk to my husband about where we are in our lives and what we want our future to look like. I can't wait to dig in and tell you all about our plans, both for the homestead and our financial situation. Feel free to jump in at any time and tell me about your plans, what worked for you and what didn't. Regardless of our situation, we need a plan and so do you. But don't pigeonhole me as a smug married with kids who can't possibly relate. I've been the single student, the new graduate, the domestical* professional, the single aunt with all the cats, a newlywed, divorced in the city with more cats, re-married (I got it right this time!), new mom over 35, mom again in a cramped townhouse, and now I'm living on a farm in the sticks, so I've been in a lot of life stages since I left the 'rental crib. This is not your average mommy blog. I may not have been in your exact situation before, but I bet I can relate. One love, people. ~Erica Burton * Mis-spelled on purpose, for dramatic effect. The original post was first published on owningburtonfarm.weebly.com on May 2, 2016 and has since been edited. |
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Owning Burton Farm
This is the farm we fell in love with. This is where my husband and I decided to raise our boys and grow a farm empire. We've been slowly growing the herd and making the dreams a reality.
After nearly a year here, we realized we could be completely debt free, including the mortgage, before the boys start High School in ten years. This would mean we could retire early and be financially free. That's living the dream to us!
After nearly a year here, we realized we could be completely debt free, including the mortgage, before the boys start High School in ten years. This would mean we could retire early and be financially free. That's living the dream to us!