Happy Solstice!

Posted On December 21, 2011

I've been meaning to make a post here for what feels like ages… but sick babies, housework, farm work, holiday crafting, etc. etc. is just not allowing for it. I'm breaking the new "no screen time" rule with the kids so I can write for a minute. I forgive myself, a little Sesame Street never hurt anyone… Anyway. Lots going on.

I didn't mention this here for fear that it would just be too much too soon, but here we are, so I'll spill the beans. We're buying land with some friends. Not just any land, but land that fits a very specific and hard to fit set of criteria that had me thinking it wouldn't happen for several years, or possibly ever. I wanted at least 10 acres (to split with friends) that was close to town (because I love this city and don't want to leave). It has to be affordable to us, which is decidedly not much to work with. When land in this area is listed for a million dollars, it wasn't looking good. So I just left it up to the universe, thinking that urban farming is just fine by me, and if the right piece of land comes along we'll just know. I had no idea it would be so soon! Disclaimer- this could all fall through still, but I just have to share! 

Details-

*19 acres
*1 mile from my current home. Like, I could still just walk to the food co-op.
*mostly wooded/wild, with a creek running through the back
*originally listed for 750k, down to 100k. Offer of 90k accepted this morning.
*nothing wrong with the land- just the product of a sad market. Yippee!
*splitting the lot with some of our dearest friends, with visions of a communal back-to-nature (but sort of in the city) kind of life. Shared farming, activities, animals, but still involved in the larger community and close to our families, etc. 

This deal is set up in basically the only way that Jeff and I could ever pull something like this off. When our friends found the land and asked us to participate, we realized that we'd be crazy not to at least entertain the idea. It's just one of those things, letting the wind guide us. I love this house and the work we've done here, and I'm seeing this as just a next step. How many people could I feed using the methods I've employed here? How self-sufficient could I be with a few more acres and some animals? Could I work to preserve this land as well, extending my activism into some level of conservation? Not to mention all the healing potential of being just that much closer to the land and my community, and eventually (probably soon!) making a living doing something that is actually healing. 

*just a pretty picture of lettuce from inside the farm's hoop house, because this post just needs a pretty picture.

Assuming all goes as planned, we would stay here for another year while working on the land, and then we'd move next spring and start farming/building. I have to say, as excited as I am to move towards this, I'm equally content to stay here. It's been something of a gift to have this many decisions to make and directions to go. We had several moments of "What the *&*!% should we do here?!", but ultimately were able to feel total contentment. I will do what I love and love those around me- wherever I am. I feel like a lucky girl today. The varying outcomes do nothing to compromise my happiness, and that's been a really amazing realization for me.