GREEN LIVING FAIR PICTURES.
Last Saturday at the Kentucky Green Living Fair, we were sadly too busy with our own booth and workshops to spend much time wandering around the fair, seeing all of the amazing vendors and animals and food. That also means that we neglected to take pictures! Luckily, two lovely ladies we met that day were snapping away, and posted their photos from the fair HERE and HERE. (Bonus: their websites are really wonderful. When I met them at the fair I felt I already knew them since I have been stalking their blogs and instagrams....but it was nice to meet them in real life and feel less like a creeper.) Our sweet friend Robin also shared her story and images from the day over at Radical Farmwives.If you were at the fair and took pictures, post a link in the comments. We would love to see them!We had such a great time - and we again want to say thank you to everyone we met. It was good for us to meet so many people who have followed our story and are hoping to get back to the land themselves. It was good for us to talk about fermentation and compost and pastured rabbits with people who don't think we're crazy. And it was good for us to be reminded of the greatness of this state of Kentucky. We are proud to be from Kentucky, and happy to have come home once again at this time in its history, where a little green living event in Somerset can bring over 1,000 people together to learn and grow and move forward, towards a better way.- Hannah.
image from Kate
CABIN PROGRESS.
Cabin progress was rather unexciting this week, as much of it involved insulating, insulating, and more insulating. But some new developments: Jesse and Eric started installing the stove pipe, which involved cutting a hole in the into the bedroom floor and building a funny little contraption on the ceiling (very technical terms, I know. Clearly I was not involved in this project). We also were given the most wonderful of gifts by the Smiths - some beautiful hardwood flooring! Jesse and I were planning on sticking with the good ol' plywood sheet flooring for the time being - maybe painting and sealing it, but nothing fancy. So this new flooring is truly a surprise for us - and we are loving the way it looks so far!We also worked on our inherited high tunnel this week - removing the old plastic that is ragged and torn in hopes of one day reframing the ends of the tunnel and attaching new plastic. Slowly but surely, things are taking shape!- Hannah.
CHORE TIME.
"Chores" is a fancy farmer term applicable to any task that must be done daily. Usually "chores" translates to tending animals. "Doing chores" could mean taking slop to the pigs, or grain to the chickens and collecting eggs, making sure your animals have water, food, and shelter. It often must be done every day, if not twice a day. At Bugtussle right now, "doing chores" means moving the livestock twice a day into small paddocks. Last week, I decided to start helping Eric with his evening chores since Hannah and I don't have much in the way of chores for ourselves these days (beyond our Wendell chore, which is more playing than tending).I've always been under the impression that if I have the chance to help someone who knows more than I do––especially on a daily basis––I should probably take it. I like being around the animals, being in the pasture and listening to Eric talk about what he's learned in his years of Management Intensive Grazing, and what he still doesn't understand. Myself, I still have much to learn about the agrarian language, and like any language, immersion is the best way to pick it up. There is no Rosetta Stone comparable to listening to a passionate farmer compare seasons, talk about specific grasses, and admit they know nothing, while simultaneously doing amazing things for his pasture. If that is something I can take part in every day, I'm going to.Our friend Jacob from Sweet Grass Granola once said something I liked, that living one minute away from someone was a whole lot different from living fifteen minutes away. In other words, out here in the country, you are a lot more likely to interact with someone often––to see your friends––if they are extremely close, and if you don't have to get in your car to do so. For this reason, Hannah and I are so happy to have the Smiths, our friends and mentors, with all their knowledge and savoir-faire, right next door. Our next lesson in the farming language is always, literally, just right around the corner.- Jesse.
KENTUCKY GREEN LIVING FAIR.
Ok, folks, it's just about time! Rain or shine we will be at The Barn at Redgate in Somerset Kentucky tomorrow for the Kentucky Green Living Fair! We have been looking forward to this for quite a while now and are so excited to be a part of it. Hannah and I can't wait to see everyone, so don't forget to stop by and say hi! We will have a small tent set up where we will be peddling our shirts and my book, and I will also be doing a fermentation workshop from 10:15 a.m. to 11 a.m.. Be there early so you can take part in all the wonderful events and workshops, as well as to meet all the great vendors. See you there!- Jesse.