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If You Want to Be a Farmer

May 14, 2012 in Farming, Food, hobby farm by boxcarkids | 2 comments

Here is a book that will either turn you on – or completely off!  It’s called The Dirty Life, a Memoir of Farming, Food and Love, by Kristin Kimball. The author of this book meets a man who has a small organic farming venture, they fall in love and the next thing you know she’s giving up her vegetarian lifestyle and career as a travel writer in the big city and the two of them end up in a small town/rural area starting a farm on 500 acres.  And not just any farm – an organic farm that aims to provide the community subscribers with a full and balanced diet.  Not just choice veggies and herbs, but those, plus eggs, cheese, meat, and milk – all year round!  And they are going to do it without using diesel tractors, they will use draft horses for the plowing, planting and harvesting.

She is an excellent writer and has you on the edge of your seat as you read about runaway horses and falling haystacks; you’ll shudder at stories of rats in the house, and her account of catching blood in a bucket during the pig slaughter, commiserate when the entire planting of tomato plants is killed by frostbite and, very likely read with a pinch of disgust the detailed account of making pan-fried bull testicles. When I got to the recipe section at the end I was gratified to see that dish was not included (nor was the blood pudding).

I was exhausted just thinking about her day – up before 4 AM, in bed, tired and dirty and very likely unshowered by 10 PM. That level of farming is much more intense than the little hobby farm we are considering.  But then they feed over 100 people – I just have 5!  It’s a great read – here’s a link for those of you who are thinking some day you might like a little farm of your own.

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Out of the Box

May 14, 2012 in 2nd Career, blogging, Family, fundraising, help, moving, Thank you by boxcarkids | 4 comments

In business speak thinking outside of the box means approaching a problem from a different perspective, sometimes unconventionally.  I’m thinking outside the box in my proposed leap of faith – moving my children 2,000 miles to live near family, and try my hand at sustainable living and writing.  Staying here, continuing to apply for the same small set of jobs for which I’ve been applying over the past three years, likely eventually accepting some form of government assistance is ‘in the box’ thinking – especially if it means continuing to live in this trailer!

Out of the box thinking is risky and it doesn’t always work.  It helps to have some support and backing. Those of you who have been following my blog for the past several years know that I seldom engage in any active fundraising.  I prefer it that way, and I’m sure you do too!  And if I could do this without your help I would.  But this is a big undertaking and while we have the motivation, commitment and determination to undertake this effort, we need your help.

Beyond the actual journey and the job of setting up in Indiana, we have multiple expenses that cannot wait until we sell the trailer – notably car repairs – but also flying our cat out ahead of us, reserving a u-haul trailer, and hopefully, purchasing AAA membership and a KOA membership.  We know we have many dedicated readers and friends cheering us on, praying for us, offering advice and suggestions, even reading my novel, and we appreciate all of you!  If you have been thinking you’d like to help us succeed in our journey we would be very grateful for any donation you are able to make.  If you have friends or connections that might be able to help us make this move and our new beginning a success (and as a friend recently said, if anyone is good at new beginnings I am), please share my blog with them.

With your help we will get ‘out of this box’!

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Planning Our Route

May 13, 2012 in Family, moving, Route 66 by boxcarkids | 18 comments

Just over a month to go!  It looks like we’ll be taking our old van (which at least has had the battery replaced and 2 new tires) which unfortunately does not have much cargo space and does not have a roof rack.  If I get the hitch repaired (it was pushed into our bumper when we were rear-ended by a college student last year) we could pull a u-haul trailer behind for $320 which is much cheaper than the shipping estimates (all over $1000) we’ve been given.  But that will add to the driving headaches and gas costs.  I hope to get some minor repairs done – seems we need a new starter, and I’d love to get the AC fixed – before we leave if we can come up with the money.

I’ve been looking over routes and as much as I’d like to stop by and see various friends on the way it’s seeming less likely that we’ll make any major detours.  If we are pulling a trailer we will stay out of the mountains – don’t think the transmission could take it – and head south across Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, veering north through Oklahoma and Missouri, then across Illinois to Indiana. Looks like we’ll be on the old Route 66 for part of the trip (cool).  If you are on this route let us know and send tips on places to see and stay.  I’m hoping not to camp much if at all but we may need to (although that will require buying a new tent as we tossed the old one at the end of our 2 month camping stint at the beginning of this journey).

I have been building up my Priority Club points (through e-miles and the like) and have enough for 3 nights in a Holiday Inn if I combine reward points with cash (10,000 pts +$40 in many of their hotels – well worth it for the air conditioning, swimming pool and shower, not to mention a decent bed for my old back).

Hard to believe it’s so close!  I feel as though I’m totally focused on this trip – I can’t allow myself to think about all the hurdles that will await us upon arrival as far as making a home and getting this venture off the ground.  One thing at a time.

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