November 24, 2014

Farm Happenings

Winter was hard on the farmstead last week.  But what a gift!  We're back to spring already so "cold chores" have been put aside. It was a challenge, it involved hard work, and the cold sickies started to effect the kids and I. For 4 days straight, we were going in and out numerous times during the day. Freezing cold to cozy warm, windy freezing cold to cozy warm. Water had to be replenished regularly to all the animals because it kept freezing. So that meant every couple hours, bundling up and heading out with pitchers for the smaller guys and a bucket for Bethel. We made it, we managed, we all had, or have miserable stuffed noses now.  

I am pining for a fenced in pasture.  Pining as a fashionista pines for new shoes.  We are still using the stake for Bethel.  I told Doug what I wanted to do for the pasture and handed it over to him. So Ive chosen not to nag and complain, just let him handle it as his man brain deems appropriate. 

It's sooooooooo hard

So anyways, she's still on the tether line. Of course the ground froze last week and she was stuck in one place with hardly any grass. On a positive note, she did get some exercise, running and bucking around. 

Big farm plans have been in the works, but most cannot be broadcasted.  We want an extremely small family farm, which apparently the government doesn't like, so we're going to stay legal, but quiet about a lot of stuff going on here at Green Gables. Our original plan was to have 4-6 jerseys, sell the raw milk, Doug goes to part time or slower route at work, we grow as a family and a farm. 

Two problems- startup expenses and legislation

The startup expenses for this endeavor would be extremely small. But I figured we would just get an ag loan. America loves farmers right?  Especially small family farms. That's what you picture when you grab your dozen eggs from the grocery store and it says "farm" on it, right?

The government does not like small family farms. I can't go into all the ridiculous, nonsense reasons that we can't technically be a farm, according to the government, who would then offer us grants and great interest rate loans, etc.  So the startup expenses have been the first challenge, but we're exploring options and seeing what our God comes up with for us.

So any other farm endeavor that we would try to take on, to make a business out of, would not work. They would shut us down. But raw milk......

And that is all I will say

Problem 2 is legislation. Because Illinois knows they cannot ban raw milk, without getting hung in the process, they are using the age old tactic of suffocating the small farmer until they die. What that means is, they impose strict regulations, lots of hoops, which in turn cost tens of thousands of dollars.  Then they put restrictions on how much you can sell, in essence, putting you in debt and then not providing a financial way for you to get out. 

But raw milk.....

IDPH is fighting for the above scenario right now. Their proposed regulations are in the process of being considered. If they do get passed, our farm dreams are done. But we have a higher sovereign God that is in authority over all, even our goofy government, amen??  So if our farm dreams are dashed I can only assume they were not His plans, and relax in that, because I want to be in the center of His will. It will be sad, and my flesh will be crushed, but there will still be so much to be thankful for.