2.22.2012

for greener pastures...

i have been wanting to tell you about this for some time now. but, as ever, my more practical, logical, better, half, nick, thought we should keep things to ourselves until those who Need To Know were told (as in...landlord, boss, moms and dads). and until things were as Definite as they may possibly be.

and now They have been told.

and things are more Definite than not.

we have given our jobs our notice. we have written our landlord the move-out day. we have broken the news to our sweet families.

we are moving to vermont. in six short (long?!) weeks. we have found a modest two room apartment for rent in a barn. on a property occupied by three beautifully aging hippies. and their four dogs, two donkeys, two heifers, and one horse.

with 250 acres. and permission to do with those acres whatever we please. and a dairy barn. and swimming ponds. at the end of an ambitiously long muddy road. at the top of a mountain. in a sweet village just 42 carefully timed minutes from montpelier.

here we will farm. on our own. answering only to one another and our braying animals. starting Our farm. on beautiful borrowed land. it is the beginning of what will hopefully be a very long Life on Land.

it wont be easy-peasy...but i think i have talked about that enough here for your poor eyes and ears.

we will rely on nobody but ourselves, our intellect --or what is left of it-- our marketing wise-ness, our animals health and good spirits, the weather, the soil, the grass, our neighbors, other farmers, our family, and friends....oh that sounds like a heavy amount of reliance does it not?

i suppose i mean rather to stress the absence of the obvious and painfully frightening sort of reliance...the paycheck. every mistake will be on us. and likewise will every success.

but this is us. beginning our farm. making the step from backyard chickens and farm jobs to something more tangibly our own.

so six weeks to Pack it Up and wish boston farewell. third farm move in one year. oh that thought is exhausting seeing it in writing.

so here we go. i do hope you will all stick around to watch the fun and the chaos. and wish us a healthy amount of good luck.


in photos:

1. crossing one of the hay pastures with rudy and his new friend lucy. 

2. the sunlight in our new home. 

3. an outhouse. our outhouse. holy-moly this will be one for the books.

4. rudy. resting. he's not quite sure he's ready for farm living again. 

5. several inherited milk pails outside our new parlor. all we need is the cow.

6. nick looking quite handsome in my sunnies. 

7. it was the beginning of mud season for vermont of lower altitudes, but still a fair bit of snow up on the mountain.

8. milking parlor entrance that is frozen shut right now. 

9. rudy concerned about the barn renovations.

51 comments:

  1. Congratulations! This is wonderful news! Let the adventure begin.

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  2. Congratulations, this is so exciting! Moving to Vermont is on our long-term radar, too...though not in as self-reliant a way. I am v. v. impressed by your courage with this move. Wishing all the best.

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  3. Kate, this is amazing! Biggest félicitations from a Montpellier in another part of the world :)

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  4. Kate, congratulations!!! This is so exciting, I wish I had the guts to do something like this. I keep a quote on my desk that says, "Keep pushing for the life you want." and you are a shining example of that. Have fun!

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  5. Congratulations are your new found home! I wish you two the best of the best on this incredible journey to Vermont.

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  6. Congratulations guys :) How exciting and wonderful.

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  7. Yaaaayyy! Ahh I'm so happy for both of you (and your brood). Kisses.

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  8. wow Nick looks a lot like Adrien Brody! So cute!

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  9. hi kate, just a note to say I love reading about your adventures and life on the land. congrats on the move and new Farm!

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  10. i think i smiled the whole way through this post. bravo to you sweet kate... & to that better half of yours.
    love & luck from moi. always.

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  11. I love it when good land finds good people. Bravo, you two. Bravo and brava and all best wishes to you both as you start out on this next leg of your farming life!

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  12. Best of luck to you and way to go on your next adventure!

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  13. Kate I am over the moon happy for you! You've told us so many times that you have wanted your own land. Congratulations! and good luck on the move!

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  14. congrats, lady! can't wait to read more about your new home.

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  15. hi

    my friend jordan told me about your blog and that you are moving to vermont. i live here. what town are you moving to?

    you can email me directly:
    marina . carelton @ gmail . com

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  16. that's so exciting! congrats! love the pics!!

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  17. oops... i spelled my email incorrectly.

    it is

    marina . carleton @ gmail . com

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  18. what a GREAT feeling....relish in all of this excitement and hope for the future. you are really doing it! that's huge! so many congratulations.

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  19. I am so very very excited for you guys. Your blog had inspired me so much, and in two weeks my boyfriend and I are moving to a farm several hours away to start an internship. We are excited and it makes me happy to see your dreams coming together

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  20. OH WOW! Congratulations! You will do/be great, i just know it!:)))

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  21. Congrats! I wanted to leave a comment on you post a few back but..my husband and I struck out on our own many many years ago...in the building field. We have led the life we want for forever and I hope it is the same for you two. The only piece of advise I would give...when you ask NOTHING of anyone you have to answer to NO ONE! We follow this to this day...it has been our saving grace. Until then...good luck...

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  22. Stunning clouds, sky, tree line.
    Can't wait to see the seasons pass with you here.
    All the best luck to you in the next six weeks moving in!

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  23. I have been following your blog for sometime. I found it through Dear Baby. I live in Northampton, Ma. I know many young farmers here and dream of the life sometimes for myself. I will send only the best thoughts for you and your whole farmily. You are doing the most important job there is in my opinion. And nothing in this life feels worthwhile without the struggle. Best to you!

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  24. CONGRATULATIONS! So so so exciting, I'm happy we all get to come along for the journey.

    I've done the outhouse thing before. It's not too bad, once you get used to it. ;)

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  25. this is so wonderful ! good luck!

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  26. oh i'm so excited for you two! congratulations! i can't wait to see everything unfold.

    xo,
    victoria

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  27. Way to go! What wonderfully exciting news :)
    -Jaime

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  28. Awesome!! Keep doing what you're doing!!!!So happy for you all!!

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  29. I am so happy for you guys - congrats! It sounds like such an exciting step forward :)

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  30. Wow, congratultions! That is such huge, wonderful, exciting news! I can't wait to watch this next chapter of your journey unfold. I just know you guys are going to do AMAZING things :)

    Katie x

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  31. Oh congratulations! That's so exciting--so fun! I look forward to reading about your newest adventures. No more farm store!

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  32. You two absolutely rock.
    We love you.

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  33. great news! for you, for nick, for your farm friends. already looking forward to a road trip with meg to visit you! xo

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  34. Love the pic of the sleeping dog. He looks cozy.
    I send congratulations and wishes for a great move to your new location. Exciting changes ahead for you both and I look forward to reading about them as you share.

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  35. http://www.thegatesnotes.com/Topics/Development/Working-Together-for-Small-Farmers?WT.ms_id=2_23_2012_IFAD_fb&WT.tsrc=Facebook

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    Replies
    1. thank you for this link! i'm certainly in the poor farmer category as we definitely go out to the field with "pad, pencil, and tape measure" trying to figure out yields. we need more iphone apps for farmers :)

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  36. yayayayay! this is such fantastic news for you both! congratulations and good luck!

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  37. hooray hooray! i'm so happy for you guys. I can't wait to see where this takes you.

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  38. I am so amazingly happy for you both! What a wonderful next step. "From backyard chickens" to your very own farm. You are an inspiration.

    Good luck! Can't wait to see more.

    Sarah

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  39. Congrats! I was just up in Vermont on a job interview as well and I must admit, there is something about that state that has wrapped itself around my heart. Good luck, I cannot wait to follow along!

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  40. This is so exciting! I am very much looking forward to reading all about your new farming adventures. I am living vicariously through you, just so you know..... My kids are little farmers in training, maybe we can bring them up for a little internship?? :-)

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  41. Overwhelmed with excitement for you two!!!

    New chapters are always the best and I can't wait to follow along....and dream....

    I only wish I lived closer so that I could "support my local farmers" :)

    Best wishes!

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  42. Yea Kate and Nick! We wish you all the best of luck. Love, Your Full Belly Breathren :)

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  43. Hi Kate, I also found your blog thorugh Dear Baby. But, oddly, I knew Nick in college at Cornell. (Hi Nick!) Montpelier is a great little town. My parents live in the Upper Valley, on the border of Vermont and New Hampshire, and both my parents work in social services for Vermont (building affordable housing, and running halfway houses for ex-cons!). Anyhow, that's exciting news and I'm sure you'll enjoy Vermont life. I'm living in Canada now but I miss the Green Mountains and my Vermont friends all the time. Best wishes, Ariel B.

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    1. Hi Ariel, Nick is sending a hello from over my shoulder. What fun! Thanks for saying hi. Let us know if you are ever back around in Vermont.

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  44. A huge heaping amount of well wishes from me! I love your blog- though I rarely comment and wish you guys the best.

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  45. let me know when you need a volunteer farmhand! i'll sign up for that :)

    peace & love.

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  46. what joyful news! what a journey!

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  47. I just found your blog and I love it! I love your journey, what you do and what you are about to do! Congratulations on finding such a nice property and good luck with it all. I'll be here to cheer you on.

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