Dog Days and Farm Stays
Well we had our first outdoor wedding on July 6th. Although the
weather was hot and steamy, It was a great success, with everything
going smoothly and everyone had a great time.
Our greatest success story has been with our Farm Stays. As an
alternative to staying in a hotel, people LOVE it! One person came
who enjoyed the pool and an early evening at our outdoor fireplace
looking at all the fireflies. A couple came who really loved the
horses, and some folks from New York who are part of Farm to People.
You may read their positive reviews on our Farm Stay page. There will
be a link on our website.
One of our challenges this summer has been keeping the pigs in
their pen. They have a lot of ground, but they destroy everything in
their path, so we really need to get the fences repaired and moved to
give them some new territory.
We have been a little overwhelmed trying to keep up with all of
our growth and have trouble sometimes knowing where to begin. What DO
we have to offer? A little of everything, from horse-drawn carriage
rides to homesteading education. What's homesteading? Broadly
defined, homesteading is a lifestyle of self-sufficiency.
It is characterized by subsistence agriculture, home preservation of
foodstuffs, and it may or may not also involve the small scale
production of textiles, clothing, and craftwork for household use or
sale. Pursued in different ways around the world — and in different
historical eras — homesteading is generally differentiated from
rural village or commune living by isolation (either socially or
physically) of the homestead. Use of the term in the United
States dates back to the Homestead
Act (1862) and before. In sub-Sahara African, particularly in
nations formerly controlled by the British Empire, a homestead is the
household compound for a single extended family. In the UK, the term
'smallholder' is the rough equivalent of 'homesteader'. The
attractiveness of back-to-the-land
movements dates from the Roman era. (Source: Wikipedia).
We have had luck in getting volunteers, yet we need more as well.
A couple of our Farm Stays have helped with chores, and we have a
volunteer day scheduled for Sept. 8. We serve up a wicked good BBQ to
feed our helpers and are ever so grateful. Also, we have now posted a
“donate” button on our website and are looking for hay and feed
sponsors to help out. Farming is a lot of work, and we are running in
the red, so any help would be greatly appreciated with a “Thank
You” Note Card with a watercolor painting by our
artist-in-residence, Arin Quintel. We have much potential, a lot to
offer and BIG DREAMS! But, we can't do it alone.
Look for our haunted hayrides and pumpkin hayrides this fall.
Can't wait to see you!! Check us out at www.spiritwindfarmllc.com.