Where to begin

Image by pkingDesign via Flickr

I think I have myself figured out, at least for now. I was feeling as if my blog was a bit disorganized and a jumble of useless stuff which is not what I want. Looking things over and sorting out my thoughts I had the feeling that some how I had started my blog in the middle of the story.So I am going to do a bit of back tracking and start more towards the beginning.

I already wrote about my childhood and how I came to realize that I am a second generation "Urban Farmer" so I am going to skip ahead to the years when we first got serious about growing our family,our food and chickens. " Where do I start? " is a common question folks have about the kind of life we live so maybe by back tracking I can help you to get going on your own.

I am going to start at the spring Issac was 4 and Sol was just 1. That was the spring I really brought Issac out to share in the work of planting a garden. Sol mostly watched that year but he was there with us. In our family everyone is included in whatever is going on,it makes everyone's lives richer. Issac helped me plant the seeds and seedlings,carefully tucking each thing in with a little whisper "See you soon little brother." Issac then helped from then on with the watering and weeding.Issac's nick name is Hawkeye because he has the eyes of a Hawk,he always spied the new little shoots first with a smile on his face.

Later in the summer as we ate some green beans from the garden Issac found a seed inside one of the beans on his plate.He got so excited,ran out the front door and planted that bean in a crack along our front walk way between the grass and cement.I did not have the heart to tell him it would not grow.Issac carefully watched for his bean to grow like the ones in the garden and would not let Chance mow the grass there. My Mom did a wonderful thing one day while we were out,she stuck a bean seedling right in Issac's crack to keep the magic going. "I told you it would grow." crowed Issac with glee. Those are the moments you live for as a parent.You pass on to them your passion and knowledge hoping they will get and keep it,then one day you see for one shining moment they got it and are holding it close like a treasure.

Many years went by like that one,the boys grew and as they grew so did their knowledge of gardening and harvesting the fruits of our labor. It became pretty standard here that at lunch time during the growing months, I'd call in the boys for their lunch I'd ask them "What shall we make for lunch?" Issac," We already ate." Already ate,I thought they were safely playing in the back yard digging to China,an endless task and I always prayed the hole would not cave in on them but I was not one to squash fun. "Ya, there were beans and tomatoes in the garden and we drank from the hose.Can we go now?" What Mother could complain? My kids were eating by choice their veggies and I had one less thing to do. Another shining moment when I knew my kids were set on the path of becoming "Urban Farm" kids.

Finally 7 years ago we added our first flock of Chickens.That was exciting and we were ready to take another step forward.The boys were in school full time by then and had been helping Papa with the feeding of his Chickens and gathering of eggs for a few years,they knew what to do and were happy we would have our own tub of Chicks in the kitchen corner just like at Papa's.

My next posting will be about planning your garden and the following post will be about raising Chicks. It's time to stat planning,the seeds are out,the days are growing longer and the Chicks are arriving in the Feed Stores.

Monday I will be working at the Urban Farm Store again and there will be Chicks in.So I am going to make my promise to Chance right here for all of you to witness.
I, Rois will NOT bring home any Chicks from work. Unless Chance is standing right there and gives the OK. Cross my heart and pinky swear it.

Rois