PARENT EXCUSE.

I would like to put up a quick post apologizing for my absence on the blog. Strangely, it has not been because I've been too busy (busy is kinda the norm here). I haven't put anything up because, to put it simply, everything I've written lately has been pretty blah. That's just the way it goes sometimes. And rather than subject you to my worst writing, I figure I'd prefer to subject you to some silence.I suppose that my creative energy is just focused on the farm right now. It's spring, the air is full of potential, who can blame me? Oh, and of course there's the whole parenthood thing. That definitely––and joyfully––eats up some creativity. But I do love a good challenge, so I'm going to try and get back to posting more regularly. Last year to combat the creative ebb, I did the day-in-the-life posts, which were fun and easy. Maybe we'll see a few more of those. And I'm also working on several different projects that I think you all will enjoy hearing about and seeing in the future. Anyway, thank you for hanging in there. Here are some cute pictures of Further to make it up to you.- Jesse 

THANK YOU FOR READING.

This past weekend we saw a lot of people we hadn't seen in a while, and many others we didn't know, who said they read our blog regularly and enjoyed it. And we cannot tell you how nice that is to hear, or how much it means.It's not always totally sane for us to keep up the blog being full-time farmers, living without electricity, but we do it precisely for that reason - to share what it's like to live like this. We like sharing the ups and downs, battles with turkeys, pictures of new baby kittens or piglets or chicks. We like being transparent about how hard it is, too, about our money situations, our fears and our mistakes. But we also love talking about how much we love it, or how we wouldn't do anything else. In some ways it helps keep us going to put it in writing, and forces us to maintain perspective, to realize how fortunate we actually are. And we've always just done it that way not thinking about who reads or why, just thinking that it feels good to do.So it's fun to hear from the people who do read, and learn their reasons. It's fun to hear their stories or how they use our story in their own lives. It's exciting to hear from people who have started farming because of blogs like ours, and we hope there will be more of that. We hope to inspire more farmers, more gardeners, more homesteaders, more small-farm bloggers. This blog has been such therapy for us sometimes, and such a beautiful support system. And for that reason it is absolutely worth every bit of the insanity it adds––when our server goes down randomly, or when we have to spend an extra hour or three in town just to keep it going––if we can occasionally get a weekend like this past one where we hear from people that tell us to keep it up.With that said, no need to wait until Thanksgiving to say it (we would honestly say it every day if we could), thank you all for reading––it truly means a lot.- Jesse.

WHY WE BLOG.

For a couple of off-the-grid small farmers, blogging can be a bit ridiculous at times. It seems ridiculous when we are driving into town each week to check email in the public library. It seems ridiculous when I am making Jesse pose with his ax mid-swing to get the right picture. It seems ridiculous to chase our giant dog around the farm each Wednesday for his weekly appearance on the website.But the truth is, as insane as it sometimes is, this blog is incredibly important to us. We started two years ago, simply documenting our journey, using the blog as a space to share and a way to motivate us to stay creative. And over time, we started connecting with people. In small ways at first, but then in real, tangible connections that led to actual friendships.This blog literally built our cabin. You readers built our cabin. We now have friends all over the world, some we have met and some we hope to meet someday, friends that wouldn't exist without this site.So as much as we like living in the middle of nowhere, and as terrible and artificial as the internet and social media can be, there is good here. There is value. Our trip to Louisville last week was proof of this - as we stayed with some of the best human beings I know - friends we would not have if not for this here blog. We spent time gathered around their table and in their kitchen, sharing stories and meals (and donuts), and Jesse and I were motivated and inspired and uplifted and encouraged - what more can you ask of your friends?So as we continue to live a life striving to disconnect, trying to free ourselves from dependence on oil and electricity and corporations, we will never stop connecting in ways that matter - with the people we love and the mouths we feed. Thank you, Tim and Emily and Molly, for reminding us why we write this silly blog.- Hannah.