Moving date

We have a date! On July 16 we move from a safe little ¼ acre of city fringe to 14 acres of new territory. After five years of dreaming, scheming and saving it’s actually about to happen.

Our bees – I really should let them know they’ll be moving

I don’t think we really have any idea what to expect. These are some of things I’m hoping for:

• Bigger and more productive food gardens, with the aim of eventually growing most of the vegetables we eat and some of our own fruit.
• A meat supply with known provenance. We’ve eaten two home bred roosters in the last year so I feel confident about the occasional roast chicken. Whether or not we’ll be eating lamb once we’ve looked our own in the eye is a whole other question.
• More time training and riding the ponies. This should be achievable since each time I walk out to their paddock and back I’ll be saving over an hour of driving. Lets see whether the swagalicious Bonnie can be persuaded to pull a little cart, and how long it takes to teach Summer to line herself up nicely with a mounting block.
• An improvement in my fitness. This farmlet is my alternative to a gym membership. Yes, and a very expensive one I know. Never mind that. Focus on how walking around 14 acres, pulling up weeds, digging gardens and constructing fences will build my muscles and increase blood oxygenation. I’m going to be practically Arnold Schwarzenegger by Christmas.
• Lots of fun projects. Including experimenting with micro hydro power from the stream, learning to milk a goat (thanks in advance Matthew), and organising music gigs and yoga retreats in the barn — no, silly, not simultaneously.
• Many opportunities to hang out with Stephen and Deborah, our friends and co-conspirators in this rural venture. Great times ahead guys. Only twelve sleeps to go!