RECOMMENDED READING.

January is our leanest month around here. It just always is. We have no income to speak of and lots of expenses - seeds, new tools, greenhouse repairs, compost. Plus, some unexpected expenses - blown head gaskets, new cylinders, endless car problems. All of this is coupled with hours and hours spent planning and plotting in the garden and looking at past finances. So basically, we think a lot about money in January. We received this lovely book from our friends for Christmas, and it has been a nice reminder for us during this sometimes-stressful month. Yes, money is an important and essential element to our lives. But it is equally important to remember why we are doing the work we do. It is not just about making money. And, as this book so perfectly puts it, when we only monetize every thing that we do on our homestead, we are taking away from its overall value.So, for anyone out there scouring seed catalogs and preparing taxes and perhaps wondering how in the world it makes sense to raise chickens, I would recommend this book. It is not completely practical, considering that the Hewitt's don't need to make an income from their homestead, but it has been a welcome break in all of the number crunching for us. We can make it through this month! Farm on, good people.-Hannah.