Launching the site

When our sustainable living experiment was started exactly four years ago, we suspected there were a few things we were going to need to learn. Fast forward to now and we are still learning things everyday. The reason for this website and blog is to provide a resource for people who are thinking about trying to grow some or more of their own food. There is still a lot of information that needs to be added, and will added over the coming weeks; it was just difficult to realize how long it takes to record all that you have done and learned - while still doing the chores on the farm.

The geography in which this experimental farm is located has been experiencing the hottest and most extreme drought ever on record. This has made it especially challenging to keep gardens alive, relieve chickens from heat stress and manage a careful balance of household versus farm needs with a system whose sole source of water is rain water. We have also had a record number of chicks hatch this spring and summer and it is still not unusual to go out and find a newly hatched baby hiding in a broody hen's feathers. 

To sum things up, the first inhabitants to settle in a new land were a hardy and resourceful breed. Luckily things aren't quite as difficult now and most of us have neighbors close by with whom we can trade food products and resources as needed. However, working on producing even a small bit of your own food, water or energy can be a very rewarding experience and our hope is this website will provide you with inspiration.