Farming

Before Joe and I got married, we talked about where we wanted to live.  We decided that we both wanted land and to be in a more country setting.  We found our little farm (40 acres) about an hour from where we were.  We packed our bags and moved to Brown County, OH!  When we first moved we both were still working at our jobs, an hour away. It was fun talking to my "city" friends about what was going on here.  You have to be careful when you are driving.  You never know what corner you will come around and come into the sights of a planter, combine or a grasshopper!  I am talking about a field sprayer, not the insect.   

        When we moved into our home the land that we purchased was cash rented and farmed.  Joe and I decided that we would continue to do that as long as the farmer was interested.  My kids get so excited when the farmer comes.  Obviously he comes 2 times a year.  In the spring we watch them plant.  In the fall we watch them harvest.  Our field has had mostly soybeans planted in the last decade, however we have had corn a few times.  This particular year was a corn year.  We enjoyed the corn especially since we didn't have any critters in our personal garden.  How nice it is to have someone plant corn for us, so that we can have fresh corn on the cob for supper!  That is not the case, unfortunately the corn that is planed it field corn. It looks like the corn on the stock that we grew as a kid, however this corn is the corn that is fed to livestock.  I personally haven't tasted it but I have been told it doesn't taste good to us.

      Our farmer farms several hundred acres in a couple of counties.  This time of year we see many farmers all around trying to get their crops out.  We have several different ones on our street. It can get a little tricky on the road when you come up against them, since our road is barely a 2 lane road.  The equipment gets to rule the road in my book.  I am not going to try to get past them!                 

   This past Sunday is when the farmer made it around to our farm.  We heard him in the field and the kids we so excited.  Our older children wanted to go sit in the front yard and watch him and take a picture.  Unfortunately the weather had turned on us and it was too cold.  They watched from the window.

  There is something to be said about these massive pieces of equipment.   When combines were first used in 1834 I am certain that it was not expected to be as sophisticated as they are today.  The equipment that they bring to our farm still amazes my kids and my oldest has been watching them for about 10 years!

Here are pictures of the combine in the field collecting then emptying the corn into the truck to be hauled off.  Hopefully in a few years I will be able to report that I am farming my own land for our animals, as for now we just get to watch.

Blessings, 
 from the Clubbhouse

Autumn means... the fair!

What do most people think of when they hear Autumn?  School?  Changing leaves? Apple cider and hot chocolate?  When I hear Autumn I think of the fair!  Our county has one of the last fairs in the state of Ohio.  I am not exactly sure whose is last but I know that ours is close to the end of the list, with our fair being the last full week in September.  They have named our fair "The Little State Fair".  Now being the city girl that I am I was not acustomed to these fair goings.  My husband took me to my first fair when I was pregnant with our oldest.  It was the Ohio State Fair.  We had a great time!  I loved looking at all the projects that were there and all the animals!  Now this has become a tradition with the whole family!  We go up to the state fair at least one day each year.
  Our children also particiapte in the 4-H programs in our county. The 4-H program is a very family friendly  program.  What a great resource for homeschooling families!  The projects that the children participate in can easily be counted as part of the school lessons as well!  My boys love taking new projects.  There are so many choices.  The sky is really the limit since there is a self determined project where you can really take anything that doesn't have a category of it own.  We have participated in a wide range of projects like archery, shotgun, electricity, rockets and cooking. 
  I am proud to say that we have brought home ribbons and trophies, even a few grand champoins!! We are proud of our children regardless of how they place, of course.  We just ask that they do their best and we can't ask for more than that.
     Our youngest son can't wait untill this January since he will be a regular 4-H'er.  Cloverbuds is what the program is called for children too young to be in "regular" 4-H.  These children come to the meetings/activities with the other kids, they just do one project at the fair instead of individual onces.  Like I said a great extracurricular event for the whole family!
  The 4-h program offers so much for the children in projects, however that is not all.  It also offers leadership and interview skills.  Each child that wants his or her project displayed at the fair has to go thru the interview process.  What a great life skill for a future job.  There is alo a jr fair board that helps out with the kids projects. This is one area where the leadership comes in.  Our oldest will be trying out for the jr fair board this year to start his term in Jan.  We are so grateful for the experience and fun that 4-h has brought to our children.  We always look forward to starting a a new 4-h year in Jan.