Our first two weeks

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We’ll, we’ve been here two weeks now. The farm is totally overgrown and uncared for. We love it!! Everyday, as well as unpacking, hanging curtains, trying to find things, put things away; we are chipping at the jungle.

Our first job was to clean up the driveway, where the people come for farm gate sales, and it looks tons better. We’ve planted some busy lizzies and begonias in some old water troughs that were outside.

Everyday we have had a huge bonfire, burning packing boxes and bits of hedge.

The 50 chickens we inherited looked very sad for themselves. They have red mite. Hopefully it is now under control. They didn’t look as though they had been cleaned out for a month, and there wasn’t any fresh water around. I think the people moved out weeks before we moved in not on the same day.

The chickens have been my personal battle. For the last 25 years I have been petrified of birds. I mean rigid with fear. From the moment we decided to move to a smallholding I have been conditioning myself to get a grip with this fear. I desperately did not want to pass this fear on to the children, especially as the haven’t noticed yet (a pushchair is great to move pigeons out of the way!!)

On the day as we moved in I slipped off, with my hat pulled down hard, and praying quietly and entered the hen house. I managed to collect the eggs out of all the nest boxes. The feeling of achievement has yet to beaten. I’ve since been able to go in everyday.

Three days ago, about 10 in the morning, I was about to cut Christopher’s’ hair (5) when we looked up and noticed a fox in the chicken run. We ran out but we were too late. It had already killed 15 chickens, biting the head off 8. About two hours later it came back again but we scared it off before it killed any again. We think we’ve found out were it came in and fenced it better. The others seam all right.

On a lighter note, we have ordered the new eggmobile hen house and have built the new duck house. The khaki cambells arrive next week. The very overgrown vegetable patch has finally been cleared and made ready to become the soft fruit garden. We have moved 5 caravans, pushing by hand, which is quite hard. The tractor arrives on Monday. I’ve picked and processed 6lb of blackcurrants, which we only discovered when we got rid of the weeds.

Sorry this has gone on so long but I feel so pleased with what we’ve achieved this week and I know you’ll know what I mean.

God bless you

Alison

-- Alison Homa (alison@mullacottfarm.co.uk), July 13, 2001

Answers

How wonderful for you, Alison! There's nothing like a feeling of accomplishment, even in the smallest things, and you've done wonders in just two weeks! Congratulations!

By the way, what are "busy lizzies"? I've never heard of them.

May you have every blessing in your new home.

-- Bonnie (chilton@stateline-isp.com), July 13, 2001.


Busy lizzies are a small perennial plant, used in hanging baskets of planters. I don't know the real name. They spread really well, and keep flowering, if you dead head regularly. They come in all colours so a big group of them usually looks fantastic.

Alison

-- Alison Homa (alison@mulacottfarm.co.uk), July 13, 2001.


Alison, my mother also suffered from dibilitating fear of birds. A baby robin in a large box on the kitchen counter actual had her plastered to the other side of the kitchen after a glance at it. Exposure was what cured her. My aunt had a house filled with loose pet birds (everything from cockatiels to large parrots), and after quite a few visits she learned to not only not fear them, she became a bird owner herself. She has quite a few birds in her flock now. At one time I believe she had over 70. So keep up the good work on over coming your fear. You can do it! And good luck and enjoyment of your new place. annette

-- annette (j_a_henry@yahoo.com), July 14, 2001.

Blessings on you and yours. I think the country is the best place to raise a family. Hope you enjoy the journey ahead.

-- Sandra Nelson (Magin@starband.net), July 14, 2001.

You should consider keeping a journal of your first year in the country and including anecdotes in an annual Christmas letter to friends and relatives. Our first country Christmas letter (1999) was so hilarious (and absolutely true!) that we still have folks talking about it two years later. - Liz

-- Liz Rhein (merhein@shentel.net), July 14, 2001.


Congratulations Alison. Sounds like you are really jumping in with both feet and with a great attitude. Keep us posted on your "adventures". How exciting to be starting out on your homestead.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), July 15, 2001.

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