Category: Thirsty Goose Farm

I stood for several seconds considering a mercy killing, but in a moment of optimism decided to let the patch of severely sick eggplant continue to photosynthesize.  Just in case they didn’t pull through, I planted a few squash seeds so the space wouldn’t be wasted.  The squash bugs have proven to be a formidable enemy, so along with frequent soap insecticide bombings and daily hand-to-bug combat, I have attempted to overwhelm the enemy by planting zucchini in every conceivable nook and cranny.  This way we should have at least enough survivors to keep the farm hands supplied with chocolate zucchini cake and green Thai curry; very important to the overall morale, and ultimately our survival in this dog eat dog bug-eat -plant world.

Continue reading “Thirsty”

It’s June on Thirsty Goose Farm and you will find me buzzing all over the place trying to keep up with summer’s frantic pace on a farm.  Let’s just hit a few highlights

Continue reading “Summer is On!”

I desired to create a barrier free farm where we all lived in harmony; the chickens free range and eat the bugs, the dogs protect the birds, the turkeys entertain everybody and the geese keep me company.  But Utopia wasn’t happening.  The chickens destroyed the garden, dogs chased the birds, turkeys pooped all over the porch and geese knocked on the doors all day for attention.  People were scared of the geese (for the most part they were more noise than anything, but some of my friends are rather dramatic…) and our male turkey, Popeye, started camping at the door in order to intimidate and exact revenge on the little dog Sammy who had attacked him a few months ago. They would wage war with a glass door between them and the noise of gobbling and barking was mind numbing.   (Sammy is a terrier and a terrible dog to have on a poultry farm as they are natural born killers- but my daughter has mothered him for eleven years and she would never allow me to see my future grandkids if I got rid of him. Abigail can hold a grudge like that.)  We couldn’t even let Sammy out to pee, else vengeful Popeye came charging at him.  The bird of course would not win that fight, so in order to protect our kamikaze turkey, Sammy was put under house arrest.  That led to stepping into puddles of dog pee in random places.

Continue reading “Fences”

My goose is wrecked.  Seriously chewed up, busted and broken with her insides hanging out.  Yet she’s still alive.  We finally found her thirty six hours after the attack, lying in a ditch in freezing temperatures, somehow holding onto life.  There’s not much I can do for her.  I gave her a warm, clean, quiet space in our house, mixed up a high protein feed and applied bandages with homemade honey salve.  It will be a miracle if her wounds heal without deadly infection.  There’s nothing I can do about the broken wings and leg.  It’s up to her will to live and the strength of her immune system to do the rest.

Continue reading “The Holder”

On the heels of my decision to stay and press in, we experienced breakthrough.  This often seems to be case- just when you run out of strength and determination, a few inches past the breaking point, there lies the finish line.  It reminds me of an incredibly emotional moment I witnessed several years ago while watching a completely wasted athlete collapse just yards from finishing the Kona Ironman.  She was disqualified as volunteers had to carry her the last few feet.  Thankfully, in our race it’s known from the very beginning that Jesus will be carrying us whenever our legs give out, and this is where I have been lately. Continue reading “Stay Part 2”

I’ve heard it said that a real friend is one who buries the body (and keeps the secret).  In this case, I truly have real friends.  This bonding body burying moment happened on the heels of a hard season of loneliness and discouragement.  My blog has been quiet as I wrestled weeds out of my heart that I didn’t have words to express.  On the outside, I am living the dream.  We are ten months into occupying this beautiful home perched on seven acres with a front porch practically kissing the Blue Ridge foothills.  We are planting and building and dreaming- it’s amazing.  It’s also lonely as my husband took a job in bush Alaska and the anticipated  five months turned into a year and half of separation.  Being fairly new here, I don’t have many friends who really know me and I can comfortably lean into.    We are still trying to find our “place” here; anyone who has relocated knows the discomfort of this season.

Continue reading “Stay”

It’s mid-March in South Carolina and the pace is picking up around here!  We are just 2 ½  weeks from our frost free planting date!  Spinach, arugula, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce and carrot seeds have already been planted.

Continue reading “Thirsty Goose Farm Spring Update”

Two days before chocolate, roses and Valentines flooded the western world this February, my friend Leah and I hosted fifty-four single people searching for love.  “Thirsty Goose Farm- love blooms here” became our mushy motto for the evening.  Leah is the most relentless and determined match maker I have ever seen.  Attempting to loosen up the awkward, uptight crowd for a playful evening of speed dating, she impulsively danced on top of the picnic table proclaiming “People, get excited!  This is going to be the best night of your life- it’s the best night of MY life!”  

Continue reading “Thirsty Goose Farm- Love Blooms Here”

I should have named my dogs Houdini 1 and Houdini 2.  These escape artists are somehow slipping through the fence on a daily basis.  My husband and daughter walked the seven-acre perimeter (we bought this land already fenced in) and reinforced every possible opening four times last week.  And yet, my patient neighbor continues to call me and say, “the dogs are out again”. We’ve spent hours inspecting fences and trying all the training tricks to convince these puppies to stay home.  Everyday my husband triumphantly announces “I got it this time” only to look out the window and see the dogs merrily meandering through the neighbor’s pasture.

Continue reading “Who Let the Dogs Out?”

Sometimes people break your heart.  Many of us learned this painful truth early in life, long before exiting elementary school.  It’s a risk we are all forced to live with, like car accidents. Due to the high exposure of the heart when living in a ministering community, this risk greatly increases.  Its equivalent to driving 50,000 miles a year on a busy highway- an accident is bound to happen.  Problem is, there is no insurance for the heart.  So here I pause, applying pressure on the most recent stab wound.  I won’t bleed to death, but there is the temptation to toughen my pericardial covering and protect myself from future punctures.

Continue reading “Heartburn”