Living in the country is amazing. You get fresh air all the time, it's quiet, and you can pretty much do what you want to your property without following anyone's rules but your own. But starting a farm? That's hard work. Really hard. You need a certain countenance to be able to do it, and you must be disciplined for business to make it work for you.
We aren't the biggest hobby farm on the planet, but we pack a lot of 'hobbies' into our small space, and it works for us. The dictionary defines Hobby Farm as 'a small farm operated for pleasure or supplemental income rather than for primary income'. Which simply means: don't expect to make money from your hobby. It can be done if you're crafty (another word for this is cheap), and you're willing to do some extra work to save more money.
Here are my top 10 reasons for starting the hobby farm.
Fresh Air
I said it already above, but it definitely deserves a spot on the list. Let's face it, none of us gets enough fresh air, even if you live in the country like we do. There are days in the winter that I just can't make myself go outside, even to the greenhouse. If I have something growing that's slated to sell, I force myself to go out anyway. It's different in the spring and summer. If there's daylight, we are usually somewhere outside, doing something, either with a tool, a tractor, or a wagon.
Peace and Quiet
Ok, it's quiet most of the time. Every now and then, a neighbor has the chainsaw going, or we have the splitter running, or the tractor. It's still nice sounds. Not like sirens going off every five minutes, or horns honking. It's quiet in the country. You can hear the birds and actually identify them (I have an app on my phone for just that). There is nothing better at the end of a hard-worked day than sitting on the front porch listening to pretty much nothing.
Wildlife
I'm not talking just rabbits or squirrels, you can have those almost anywhere. Have you ever seen a turkey posturing for a female in the city? Probably not. How about hearing a cow from the neighbor's farm lowing for food? We can hear those things, plus a lot more when we are working on the farm. My daughter has even had to stop her car to wait for a horse to cross the road. Wildlife is different here. Sure, we have deer and possums, but there are so many types of critters out here, it's something fun and new every day.
Fresh Food All the Time
There is absolutely nothing better than walking down to your garden and picking a warm, vine-ripe, organic tomato. Nothing. The first ripe tomato of the season always gets made into a tomato and mayo sandwich, which I eat enthusiastically--alone. How about picking your salad from the pots in the greenhouse, and rinsing it under the hose? It's one of those 'hallelujah' moments, trust me. Oh, you're out of green beans? Garden. Need eggs? Chicken coop. It's awesome. You may be eating some of your income, but I never feel guilty. Never.
Endless Possibilities for Income
There are just so many hobbies on a hobby farm. We have bees for wax and honey to sell, my daughter makes dried tea from the herbs we grow, we sell flowers and edible plants, my son makes woodburnings, my husband makes raw wood furniture (when he's not busy cutting down trees for wood to burn), the chickens lay eggs we can sell (not many, but we usually have 2 or 3 extra dozen every week), I collect and sell unique potted herbs--and let's not even get into the canning we do at the end of the summer (although I make cowboy candy year-round). There are never-ending possibilities to get a little extra income around here, and living with a creative family, there is always a new venture to start.
Making New Friends
It's strange how we lived in the city our whole lives, and we had our 'city' friends (that we still never saw), and now we have our 'country' friends. Two different sets of people, but we have things in common with both. We've met some really amazing people living out here, and starting the hobby farm, we've met other people who love to do what we do just as much. It's not a bad thing at all. It's fun to make new friends (here goes the Sesame Street theme song).
You Learn New Stuff
All the time. All. The. Time. I am an avid reader, and when we start something new out here, I am the first one to run to the library and check out every book ever written on the subject, or get online and research stuff until Google is screaming at me for a break. I've learned new things about every single venture on our farm, including the bees, and I don't even take care of the bees except to plant their flowers. I've built a wishing well and three plant boxes because I learned how to use power tools (they are fun, who knew?), I've learned more things about plants than I could ever teach someone else, and I am learning how to grow organically and still get a big harvest. It's a never-ending learning experience.
You have a reason to buy a raincoat
The chickens need to be fed, whether it's raining or not. The greenhouse windows need to be opened, the garden needs tending, and you still have to take the trash to the curb and take the dogs out. Get a raincoat! Not that anyone usually needs a reason to go shopping, but wellies (we call them squishy boots) and a raincoat come in very handy on the farm. It's easier to weed the butterfly garden when it's wet, and in the spring and summer, rain is par for the course, so you'll need extra stuff to stay dry.
More Family Time
I wouldn't really know, but I'm told that most children move out when they are 18, and find jobs and homes of their own. Having a hobby farm gives the kids a reason to come over and play farmer for a couple of days, which means you'll get to see them. I still have my two oldest kids living with me, so I see them every day, but the youngest one will come home to help if we ask her. We also get the grandbaby (who is in the picture above) on a regular basis, and he is a big helper around here.
Chickens. I Repeat-Chickens
Chickens are the best farm animal ever invented by God, and I'm positive he had a day while he was creating the universe where he said "you know what? I need something to make me smile. I'm going to create this bigger bird, and make it smart-stupid." Chickens are funny. They all have their own personalities and quirks, and watching a flock of chickens run across the yard for a treat is probably the funniest thing I've ever seen. I have one chicken (Hehei) who follows me everywhere, lets me pick her up and pet her, and will eat straight out of my hand. Out of the 13 chickens we have, she is probably the most docile, but also the most fun. A chicken chasing a dog is also one of the best things I've ever seen. Our dog Diva has been snipping at them for a couple of months when they are out of the coop, and they all decided to fight back last week and chased her around the yard. So funny.
These are my reasons for loving and starting this farm. If you can't start your own hobby farm, make sure you at least get a chicken. You'll thank me for it later.
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