Still Dreaming......

As it stands right now, the Sweet Honey Rose is still a dream of mine.  Some days, it seems far closer to realization than other days.  Hoping and wishing don't get you very far though, so there are some plans being made and thoroughly thought about.  We know that there will definitely be chickens, honeybees, maybe dairy goats, possibly an orchard, definitely a garden, and perhaps berries.  (Mmmmm......what's a farm without fresh berries?)


I grew up on a small farm, without a lot of chores to be done, so my own experience is limited.  There is going to be a steep learning curve in many areas.  We will have to start small and grow incrementally to keep a steady balance and not overwhelm and terrify ourselves.  It would be amazingly easy to do.


For now, I am going to set myself to learning some basics and reading and listening.  I have a list of things I would like to learn, one by one, as I start out on this adventure. 
-Home canning (tomatoes, pasta sauce, jams/ jellies, peaches)
-Beer brewing  (not from a kit)   
-Jam making  (raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, apple, lemon curd, and strawberry sauce)
-Good sewing (not just missing buttons and easy hems, but skirts, aprons, dishtowels, maybe shirts eventually)
-Knitting (working on it now!)
-Animal care (goats, chickens to start with)
-Land care
-How to use a tractor efficiently and effectively


I know there's going to be a lot more than that to learn, but that's a pretty big start.  To my credit, there are some things I can do, such as baking and cooking, yard maintenance, and herb care.  Maybe we can stand to learn from each other.  I plan on posting some of my favorite recipes with directions and I will share my progress in all things farm and otherwise related. 


I'm a historian as well, focusing on American and Irish history, so don't be surprised if some history and anthropology slides into these posts every once in awhile.  You might also see some music, some stories, a little bit of everything to keep things interesting.  Let's see how it goes..........


Irish