Recently, we went to see a seminar by Joel Salatin. Joel Salatin is a farmer in america, on a farm called Polyface. He knows heaps about farming organically. I found it absolutely inspirational! He talked so much about everything! He took ages to explain one thing, when it could have been explained much more briefly, in my mind. But he wasn't just blabbing on boringly. He had so many examples, and personal experiences, that even as a kid, I wasn't bored!
We have decided that we should start making a profit out of our place, and we've actually come up with quite a few businesses that we could run. My favorite one is an egg buisness wich we are hoping to start soon. We're going to buy about twenty day old ISA Brown hens and i've asked mum if i could be appointed the egg business lady, and she said yes! So i'll be in charge of he egg business! we came up with "Henhaven eggs" as the name.
I wanted to get home and start doing stuff! I wanted to build that shed , and shovel that manure, and plant that plant! Up until seeing Joel Salatin, we hadn't really considered our place as a farm. Yeah, we have a big property, and a few animals, but we weren't making a profit from our place and we don't grow hay or anything like that. He made us see that any place can be a farm (with a very long but entertaining explanation).
So ever since the seminar we've been going hell for leather, working outside and turning our place into a proper farm. In the last two days we have planted eleven tagaste (lucerne) trees, made1 goat shelter out of pallets and iron and planted a garden around our big paulonia tree. We have also shoveled trailer load upon trailer load of horse manure, which is not a very pleasant job.
We have decided that we should start making a profit out of our place, and we've actually come up with quite a few businesses that we could run. My favorite one is an egg buisness wich we are hoping to start soon. We're going to buy about twenty day old ISA Brown hens and i've asked mum if i could be appointed the egg business lady, and she said yes! So i'll be in charge of he egg business! we came up with "Henhaven eggs" as the name.
Good luck with your egg business. I'd be your number one customer if I lived near you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cheryl! This post was written months ago. We've got twenty ISA Brown chicks now, well they aren't really chicks anymore, but they aren't old enough to lay yet, but hopefully our business will get going soon.
DeleteYou're very lucky to have attended a seminar with Joel Salatin. I've watched many online interviews, and always found his take on farm life, engaging, and highly amusing. I also loved how he viewed young people as being essential to the farm, and actively encouraged them to find a way to get involved.
ReplyDeleteThe main thing I have learned, is encouraging myself after the "fun" parts are over. I try not to see what I do as hard work, more just important work. Even on the days it seems to go on, and on, and on.
I agree. I certainly wasn't very excited about it when mum told me we were going to a two our seminar by some American farmer, but it was one of the most useful talks I've ever heard!
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