Solstice

And so we make it past the longest night of the year...and the Winter begins.

Every year the Rowland family celebrates the Solstice. We let the day be one of reflection and rest.  Then, we have a dinner and celebrate our Pagan roots that worshipped the earth, the animals, the plants and the one thing we all have in common for life, the sun.  We celebrate it's shortest day and also the return of it's light.

It has become a day I take off every year to reflect on the passing of those I love and also to rest.  It is both symbolic and real to me, as Tom, my step-dad, died 3 years ago on the day before.  He was a man of few words and many boasts.  He loved the Solstice.  It meant something to him being a man of the earth, he knew what the toil of a farmer was, and knew the importance of taking a break.  I fondly remember him, floating on an air mattress in a pool in Hawaii.  He had a huge smile and soaked in the sun.

Happy Solstice Tommy!

The fog that settled in the valleys here gave a surreal beginning to the Winter.

The farm is tucked in, well sort of...My year has been a bit of a whirlwind and the farm had to become my hobby and Sharon's full time job.  We know we can make it as farmers, but it certainly is nice to be able to replace my jeans.  I started working for a friend and have helped build his company and it has been a challenge, but also worth it.  My on again off again life as a camera man and TV guy was too hard on the boys and I hung that hat up temporarily so I can be home every night for the family, and help run the farm when I have a moment.

We have 2 goats and 2 sheep now.  They are all beautiful and hilarious.  Qui Qui and Cowboy are our goats.  Qui Qui is a milk goat and Sterling and SHaron milked her twice a day while she was in milk. Cowboy is a fixed male and he is hilarious.  He is everyones friend and hopefully we will get him trained on cart this next season.  Qui Qui is pregnant so we are hoping for another girl and expand the Milking operation a little.  The sheep Raghnild and Gro are pregnant also we think, we have had a little ram named Little Bear in with them for the last couple months and he is a character also, bouncing around and playing games with Cowboy.  We will be expanding our flock the next 2 seasons and are hoping for females.  We will sell the males as lamb late in the year next year.

Our goal is to have a small flock and enough goats to have fiber and milk products for sale in a few years in addition to the pigs, eggs, and meat chickens we raise and whatever veggies and fruits we have.  We strive to create a farm stand at some point along the way and maybe become a small country store if we look really far down the road!  It's good to have a goal to strive toward!

  I hope you all stay safe and warm this wintery season!

Love from the farm!!