What exactly have we gotten ourselves into?
Whew. What a couple of weeks! In our last e-mail and blog post, Emily shared some of the logistics we were working through. And, now here we are. One way or another, the logistics worked themselves out and we made it to Sheep Creek. So, what’s it like? How is the 800 square foot cabin working out? Did everyone survive the drive? There’s so many questions we’ve heard from friends and family, it’s tough to choose which ones to address here, but I’ll give it my best shot.
How was moving?
Ever since we first announced we were moving, everyone has been telling us how unpleasant the process is. And it was. Truth be told, the move went about as smoothly as we could hope. Sure, we had some shenanigans with our truck rental and both of the older kids threw up a time or two, but from start to finish we were blessed to have awesome friends, family, and neighbors who stepped up to help us in the most trying times. Thank you!
How is the living arrangement working out?
On the whole, we’re very happy with our new set up. Our cabin is small, but functional and comfortable. We have a great outdoor kitchen where we do most of our cooking and eating, and the baby likes having a carpeted bedroom. We do have internet access, which makes this blog possible! But, cell service doesn’t really exist, and to tell the truth, I don’t miss having a phone on me every moment of the day. We are spending very little time indoors, because the work we came here to do is outside this time of year.
How is farm-life treating you?
This question requires a little more in way of a response. There’s really two elements of “farm-life.” The “farm” piece is the work…and boy have we had a lot of it. We are establishing a small farm from scratch and helping to operate a 300 acre ranch in full tilt hay growing season. Our project list is long, and that’s on top of the daily chores. I had one day to catch up on sleep after my overnight drive, and then I jumped right into the typical farming routine of waking up with the sun to start chores, and continuing throughout the day until well after it sets.
Not only are the hours long, but the work is physically challenging. This is one of the things I was most excited about. After nearly ten years of spending most of my working hours either sitting in the cab of an ambulance or sitting in an office chair, the prospect of spending my working hours performing tasks that build the health and strength of my body was appealing. Even so, I’ve been impressed with how exhausting the work is. My arms, shoulders and hands have never been so sore. Hand digging ditches, broad forking beds, hoeing weeds, and carrying around five gallon buckets of water or rocks fatigues your body in a way unlike any marathon can prepare you for. All of this said, I love the work. I feel healthier now than I have in years, I can feel my forearms gaining strength, and I breath fresh Rocky Mountain air throughout the entire day.
Farming, regardless of how it is done, is hard work. There’s no doubt about that, but I mentioned there is another element to “farm-life” and that is “life.” So, how is life? Our intent in making this change was to focus on quality time with our kids. Fortunately, the work has not compromised our ability to do so. Admittedly, we still need more structure to our day, and eventually we’ll start focusing more energy toward the kid’s intellectual development (i.e. homeschooling curriculum). But, so far, we’ve been thankful for the opportunities we have to balance the farm and life elements of farm life. I’ve had plenty of occasions in which I had to stop the task I was working on to help, play with, console, or reprimand one of the kids. Not only that, but we’ve had a few moments (usually in the mid-morning when everyone is well-rested and well-fed) during which everyone in the family is working together prepping a garden bed, planting seeds, moving the chickens, or inspecting ditches.
So, how is farm life treating us? It’s hard to provide a complete answer after only a week and a half, but so far, so good. We enjoy spending entire days together as a family, and the work is only going to make us stronger and more resilient, both physically and emotionally.
Are you making any friends?
Again, we’ve only been here a week and a half, and we’ve been neck deep in farm projects throughout that time. So, we haven’t had much time for socializing, but we’ve received very warm welcomes from some locals and neighboring ranchers who have worked closely with my family over the past several years. We even got to attend a wedding for one of their grandkids! Like most small towns in the Rocky Mountains, this area is filled with humble people, who work hard and are always willing to lend a hand to a neighbor. And, it’s a community that comes alive in the summer. We’re excited to catch some of the events happening throughout the Flaming Gorge region in the coming months.
When can I visit?
Anytime! We would love to show you the farm, and there’s plenty of camping space. We look forward to having a few more amenities for guests in the future, but for now, we’ll find you a nice flat spot to pitch your tent and fall asleep under a billion stars shining in the sky.
Looking forward to visiting next week!
We can’t wait to have you visit in a few days! Our first visitor from Denver!