Good Intentions

I’ve never really enjoyed introductory posts; they tend to feel somewhat contrived and have a sort of glossy-print finish to them that tries to mask the raw feelings and unprocessed content of what is to come.  Looking back on previous attempts at blogging I treated intro posts with the same disdain I felt for my overall topic – which I now realize was far too personal to be shared publically at the time.  That should tell you how long that project lasted…

But these kinds of posts are almost customary; expected.  And for all my railings against them they do set a tone.  So, I feel myself a bit obliged to comply with tradition and set forth my good intentions.  To lay down the foundation which my future life shall be built upon.  To cultivate the healthy soil from which the seeds of future fruitful harvests shall be born.

It is my hope to use this medium as a living documentary to the evolution of a homestead and as a means to teach others how to do the same in their lives – in whatever scale best suits their unique needs.

I believe having expectations is the precursor to disappointment.  But without clear goals, the path ahead may get muddled.  Here are some things I hope to cover here and what you can expect from me:

• Regenerative / Sustainable Techniques and Information – “Jesus, not another hippy website” you’re thinking.  Don’t worry – I’ll try to un-hippify this as much as possible.  I received a Permaculture Design Certification in 2015 through a generous and anonymous beneficiary.  I feel that the blessing I received must be paid forward.  The skills I learned (and am constantly learning) have enabled me to make enormous, positive changes in my life.  I want others to be able to do the same.  Replete with videos, photos and step-by-step instructions.
• Homesteading – What happens when you put a girl, a house and 5 acres on the outskirts of a National Forest?  Let’s find out.
• Gardening with a Self-Proclaimed Black Thumb – I never had much success with growing things in my tiny, shade-shrouded apartments.  For years I believed I had a black thumb but had a deep desire to grow things.  Now I realize that was more a matter of circumstance and now feel that humans are stewards of the land and have in them an innate ability to care for their surroundings in their own unique ways.  You can come here to watch my knowledge grow with the things I grow.
• The Inner Workings – Explorations of the mind, feelings, meditation, and tools to cultivate happy minds.
• Lots of Bulleted Lists and Swearing – See above.

The first point encompasses so many things I was hard pressed to find other topics that don’t sound redundant.

• I will also strive to not sound redundant.

We have many proposed projects here, at what I am tentatively calling The Happy Homestead, below is a sampling of some definite projects

• The Coop – There will be chickens.  And ducks, and geese, and maybe a couple peacocks.  I like birbs.
• The Fire Pit – A place for meeting, cooking and reflection.
• The Food Forest – An integrated, ~2 acre system of fruit, nut and medicinal plants.
• The Greenhouses – Small, medium, and preposterously large greenhouses.
• The Labyrinth – A garden with an ancient twist.
• The Business – How to turn all of that into something that may generate income or simply reduce our need to purchase things at stores.

And a list of possible projects:

• The Wind Harvester – We have an electrical easement on our property that dives straight back and deep into thousands of acres of forest.  If we are careful and clever, we’d like to set up a wind turbine just outside of the easement to take advantage of the strong winds coming through the easement to generate electricity. Take that, The Man.
• The Grove – A quiet place for meditation, ensconced in bamboo.
• Tiny Homes or Straw Bale Cottages – Houses for retreats and lodgings
• The Waterworks – To someday be largely dependant on rainwater alone and connect the house’s sink and shower outputs into a greywater system to feed the world outside.
• The Pond – Because we want a pond.  Or at least a swimmin’ hole…or a little koi pond…
• The Barn – Goats are hilarious and adorable.  Plus milk and cheese are tasty.

So there you have it.  Expectations laid bare for all to see.  I will caveat all of these by adding one more expectation:  To embrace possibilities and change.  I fully expect many things mentioned here to shift and change over time as what we want is tempered by what is feasible or when something new and beneficial arises.  In the end, it is my hope to help others lead gentler, more peaceful and more sustainable lives as we navigate the sea of life with concern for our fellow navigators.  By cultivating our knowledge and skills to benefit ourselves and others, together we can Grow Happiness.

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