We moved to the Boistfort Valley in 2019, but 2022 marked our third full year on the farm, and perhaps our busiest to date.
Read moreThe Cycle of Life
Farm life is cyclical, filled with ups and downs. Some are planned, others take us by surprise. And some weeks are more of a roller coaster than others.
Read moreMeetings About Meetings
I read an interesting statistic in early April claiming that white collar workers are now spending 250% more time in meetings than they were pre-pandemic. As I remember it, just about all my non-entry level white collar jobs involved meetings for at least half my time.
Read moreEgg Hunt, Minus the Magic
This post was written in two parts, with a week or so in between. The first section came into being while I was bemused and cheerful, the second after I was hit with a harsh dose of reality. Such is farm life.
Read moreThe Gauntlet
A pair of farmer friends have a cartoon on their office wall. I first saw it only two months after we bought our property. I got the joke and thought it was funny. Two and half years later, I really get the joke, and it’s not so funny anymore.
Read moreHere We Are Again
Another year is wrapping up, while we assess and ponder what the next will bring. After 2020, we weren’t sure what to expect, but 2021 did stick the knife in several times.
Read moreQuoth the Raven
In what seems like a lifetime ago, I earned a master’s degree in creative writing, emphasis in poetry. But I can’t recall the last poem I wrote — until the other day. I was in the field, screeching at a pair of ravens spying on the bird yard, when a line crept into my thoughts.
Read moreGimme a Break
Summer equals vacation time for many people, as noted by the voluminous sharing of beach, mountain, and other travel pictures on social media. Here at Star & Sparrow, Bryon and I are just trucking along with our daily routine while we ponder how we can take a break ourselves.
Read moreThe Inevitability of Loss
I’ve talked before about the losses that come with being a farmer. How some you can prepare for and some come swift as a sudden wind that knocks you off balance. I recently experienced that second iteration. If you know me at all, you won’t be surprised that even after some time has passed, the experience still leaves me raw.
Read moreThe Farm Will Go On
In the face of a pandemic, I have three personality traits that are currently producing the imperfect storm: high anxiety, hypochondrial tendencies, and extreme empathy for others.
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