On the Farm

Every September, we go to Johnson's Farm for apples and quality time with goats.  Also every year, we come away scheming with ways to acquire a farm.

I know it sounds silly, but I love goats.  And chickens.  And the idea of having a huge garden.  It all reminds me of growing up and playing at my grandpa's farm in Virginia Beach.  Walking with the goats.  Collect the hens' eggs.  Clipping the geese's wings--and trying to steal their goslings.  Feeding the sheep.  Begging my dad to push me hard on the tire swing just one more time. 

For years, I have dreamed of starting a rabbit sanctuary where we would adopt bunnies from the humane societies (they are one of the least-adopted pets).  I'd give them a home and love on the farm and then adopt them out to well-informed rabbit lovers--people that want more than an "Easter bunny" for a couple of months.

We'd plant peach trees and sunflowers.  We'd have an area for bonfires.  We'd camp out in our tent at the back of the field.

And maybe when Eliot grew older and could help out more, we'd get a couple of horses.

I always leave Johnson's Farm wanting these things.  I often would come home and look up land and farms for sale in the area.  Now that my grandma has moved to an assisted living community, her house is open.  She lives on seven and a half acres--the farm that I think back to from when I was young.  We could buy it if we wanted to, and Memaw so desperately wants her home and land to stay in the family.

When I was about seven, I peeked through a peep hole in the barn to watch a baby goat being born.  I'll never forget that sight--no one else was around, just me, momma goat, and her two new babies, slick from the womb and panting.

The reality is, though, that a farm is a lot of work.  I think I'd love it, but I don't know if I have the energy to devote to keeping up a fence, seven acres, and looking after animals.  And I am so terrible at getting anything to grow.  The truth is that the house is smaller than our's right now; we'd need to at least add on an addition and the whole place needs renovating and cleaning.  Not to mention that the schools are not so good.  Private school is expensive and I don't know if I am well-equipped for homeschooling.  It is located on a curvy, busy road and the house is not set far back from the traffic.  Many, many times, people have driven through my grandma's yard on accident.  One time, a drunk driver hit her car, which then ran into the house.  The road is not safe, and there is some talk of the city eventually widening it.  There are so many obstacles.  I don't think it'll happen, but that doesn't stop me from dreaming from time to time.