Thursday, August 8, 2013

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.