The irony of things

***Quick disclaimer- this post may lean more towards a rant so should you decide to keep reading, you have been forewarned**

Well, it has been just about a month since we quit our jobs in SLC and having done that we lost our health insurance as well. There is COBRA, which would have allowed us to keep the same insurance we had, but the amount that we would have to pay per month for the two of us would be around $700... and to my knowledge that was only for medical, not dental. After much debate and checking into individual health insurance (which was not only expensive but had an outrageous deductible) we decided to not have health insurance. It's a scary thought, I've always had insurance...always...and our society scares you into thinking that you can't live without it (which, should anything major happen to one of us we might feel that way).

So, Saturday Jake's upper tooth that recently had a root canal and crown starts hurting. Then Sunday it starts hurting worse. Then his face starts swelling. By Monday morning I started calling dentists in Buffalo, which is the closest town, to see if anyone can get him in. Luckily the second place I called could see him that morning and the dentist there was great. He got an x-ray, did an exam, wrote for prescriptions, and made a referral for a dentist in Sheridan to get his root canal re-done...and he didn't charge us a thing!! There is something to be said for small town people...   Too bad when he gets the root canal re-done next week they will be charging us... a lot...and, oh, you don't have insurance, then that will be cash upfront or don't even come to the appointment.

Poor Jake!!!











The whole reason I'm writing about this (despite the fact that Jake looks like this) is to bring up the principal of healthcare; or the lack thereof, for the people working in agriculture. I saw an article on civileats.com (a very cool website for anyone interested in anything to do with gardening/farming/good food), Your Farmer Body Needs Protection: Health Care
which basically goes over the real need for healthcare coverage for the new generation of young farmers. Farming is a tremendously physical job that requires the farmer to be in good physical shape...without good health the farmer cannot provide healthy food. So, it would be assumed that providing a basic level of insurance to farmers would be advantageous to everyone who eats food...

Why do we care so little about where our food comes from and who grows it that farmers can't even be farmers without some other 'job' to provide them health insurance and a means to pay the mortgage?

Hmmmm.....well, anyways, thought I'd provide a little 'food' for thought. I suppose I'll end my rant now so you'll come back and read my blog again some other time.

Here's a Happy picture to leave you with:

 

 

Planting time

We've been doing a variety of things over the past few days; planting, shoveling, planting, shoveling, and even a bit more planting. Oh, and today we did some shoveling and drilling...no planting though.

All of the trays in the right center are corn!! Then we planted a huge variety of melons, broccoli, basil, and other yummy stuff. :)

The green plants sticking out of the red tarp are tomatoes- they are starting to blossom!




Mona also got some new additions (10 of 'em) to add to the turkeys and guinea hens... cute little chickens (who should grow up to be grasshopper eating, laying hens)!!

Yesterday started out misty with a drizzle of rain but within a few hours it turned into a crazy wind storm with just enough rain to make us call it quits for the day. But...not before we got to dig up some fence stakes and gather all of the fencing that was supposed to keep some little trees safe but ended up as what I like to refer to as cow art.I also got to drive around 'the mule', which is kindof a cross between a 4-wheeler and a jeep...overall pretty fun, especially in the mud!

The absolute best part of yesterday was receiving a 'care package' from some family back home...it contained some yummy coffee, DVD's, cake, and other random delights!! Thanks for making our rainy day fun!!!!

All about the weather...

As a rule I usually cared about the weather while living in the city, but at the same time I never really cared about the weather. We had to walk the dogs, I'd walk to the bus stop or trax...or even worse get stuck out walking when the weather turned bad and I got caught in a downpour. Then there were the rare occasions that the snow was so bad that getting anywhere became a joke.

Silly city girl...

Here weather really matters. It doesn't just determine whether you're going to be uncomfortable while walking from your car to the store...your entire day's work depends on it, your livelihood is dictated by it. In just the short amount of time we've been here we have been postponed by wind, hampered by the rain, and scorched by the sun. We have yet to experience the fury that mother nature can throw out, but my eyes are opening to the real impact that weather plays on the day-to-day life of a farmer as well as the outcome of your seasons work.

Here the change in climate is more noticeable. A dry year or wet year becomes trends that have never been seen before in generations and certain species of birds stay year round now when they never had before. Areas that were once fed by year round creeks are now dry for most of the season. Winters that were once sub-freezing are now tolerable.

Funny how you start to care about things more when you can actually see them...when they become tangible and real, not just some word on a page that's up for debate.

Well...enough of that, now for why your really here, pictures!!!

 This is pretty much how we've spent the last couple of days...no, not standing around in holes...digging them!!  Well, the backhoe did most of the digging...we did the rest.

We've also been doing some planting, transplanting to the high tunnel, and hand feedin' cute little turkeys and guinea hens :)

Skunked

I guess it was bound to happen...the temptation was just too great and I let the dogs out to run around 'unattended'...why we hadn't done anything with the poor thing previously I don't know...I guess maybe because we don't have a shovel here or didn't want to burn it with the rest of the 'trash'...so we left the poor dead skunk out in the pasture and just told the dogs 'no' when they went near it...but this time we couldn't stop her...Happy ran for it and started rolling around on it, obviously full of joy and glee...

Why do dogs love rolling around in dead things so much? What is it that is so enjoyable? Hmmm...well, anyways suffice it to say she stayed outside tied up to the porch until we could figure out our best plan of attack for getting rid of the stench.

Sometimes the internet is a very helpful tool, othertimes it just makes you more confused. One site said use tomato juice, another said no- tomato juice is just a myth- use baking soda and vinegar, while yet another said use dish soap and baking soda. Considering we are 40 miles from the closest store and we had just gone to the store earlier in the day and we had no tomato juice or vinegar...we just cut her stinky fur away as best we could then bathed her in baking soda and dog shampoo.

Its not perfect but she gets to sleep inside tonight :)

The little things

The past couple of days have really made me think about the little things in life, because they really are what matters. Jake and I were talking and discussing what, besides friends and family, we really missed (granted it's been less than two weeks) and we really couldn't think of much. We really do love what we are doing, there is so much to learn and so many things to do that 'thing's really are just that, they are things that we can do without and still be happy.

That being said I should disclose that we do have our laptops with us, and a camera, and our mountain bikes...and I think I could live without them, but then I couldn't share all of our experiences with you. ;)

Here are a few of the little things that we've been able to see today:

Guinea hens











This little guy is only about 10 minutes old









Here's another little thing that was freaking sweet...

She must have been reading my mind because I was totally craving pizza...Mona got us a Papa Murphy's pizza in Gillette, a mere 60 miles away (but that is where she works as a teacher so she makes that drive Mon-Fri). It was delish!!

 Oh, and we did work too...this is me trying to tell Jake to do something while I'm tilling up soil in one of the high tunnels...wow do I look great...

PS...there is a poll that you should take if you haven't already :)  

Gettin' dirty

Well, we finally did it...got dirty and did some back breaking work. Today is the first day so far that we've done actual gardening. We started out making raised beds for Mona's partner in crime, Carol. Mona just purchased a raised bed machine that forms the bed and puts down plastic over the bed...when I first saw it I thought it seemed kindof extreme- really, why would you spend thousands of dollars on a machine that makes raised garden beds???

                     


  ....Now I know.

Whew... Digging garden beds is a ton of work.






They're fun to play in too...

 

 After we finished the gettin' dirty in the beds we planted some, well not some- a lot- of broccoli and cauliflower in one of the smaller tunnels. After that it was back to construction/carpentry work at Mona's in the tunnels and stick throwing for Belle. Oh, and seeing a very nice sign of spring...wildflowers :)

Got sum Wild Turkey??

The first time we saw them out our back window we thought it was pretty cool, grabbed our cameras, and watched them for what seemed like a really long time...now, less than a week later the sight of wild turkeys is just a normal part of the day. They're all over the place, sometimes it's just a couple of them and other times it's an entire gaggle (is that what they call a group of birds??).

Silly turkeys didn't want to get out of the road when we were driving...too bad I'm not a big fan of turkey or we could have thrown a few in the back of the van to fix up for dinner ;)







It's hard to believe that we've been here a week already. In ways it feels like we just got here, there is still soooo much to do and learn...so many muscles yet to use and veggies left to plant. But in other ways it feels like we've been here for quite awhile- it feels like so long ago that I was actually showering AND dressing nicely for work...now I'm lucky to make it home not caked with mud, sweat, and a sunburn. What a difference a few weeks can make!

We readied the newly finished high tunnel to be tilled today by spreading out straw and mixing in chicken manure and phosphate. Then we worked on transplanting brussel sprouts and cabbage in the greenhouse.

     













We also got a chance to talk with Steve, (one half of the Steve and Mona team, AKA our hosts) about his cattle ranching. He talked about how difficult it is to make a living on meat cows. There are a lot of strange laws in Wyoming when it comes to raising and selling beef, none of which help the rancher or the consumer. There is a definite need for change in the laws (in Wyoming as well as other states) to make buying locally raised meat more affordable for the consumer and more profitable for the producer. Consumers really need to start caring about where not only their meat, but all of their food comes from and who they are supporting when they buy it- 'cause you are what you eat...

Sunrise, sunset

The sunrise and sunset in the country really is pretty. I'd forgotten how much of the sunrise is masked by the Wasatch mountains in Salt Lake, but out here you get the full horizon. I suppose you could tire of seeing them after awhile but for now I'll continue to enjoy each one.


We've been doing mostly what feels like construction work this week, finishing up the high tunnels for both Steve and Mona and Carol and Bob. Yesterday the plastic covering was put on the Mitzel's tunnel while we finished putting up rafters, connectors, and baseboards for Carol and Bob.

We worked all day yesterday (Saturday) and were going to work today as well but my body started telling me, 'um seriously...another day of work, it's Sunday- rest before I really start to revolt against you'. So I did. Jake worked away while I napped on a cloudy Sunday in the country. But it felt really nice to take a break and recover from all of the physical labor we've been doing. This week we should start doing more gardening stuff; transplanting, tilling the high tunnel to ready it for planting, more weeding, and other stuff.

But for now I'm gonna eat some nachos, relax with Jake and the dogs, and watch the cows.

And then the sun came out...

Well, Monday was cold, wet, and windy but the past couple of days have been sunny and pretty nice. We have stayed really busy with work, but it's a good busy...and enjoyable feel-like-your getting stuff done busy. Yesterday we spent the whole day putting down weed matting on the tunnels. Since I would have never known what the hell that meant before a couple of days ago I thought I better show ya'll with pictures:

This is the new high tunnel that is currently being built.

It's 96 ft. long. And really, really tall.

And this is Orange Farm Kitty...
        ...he was helping hold the weed mat down in the wind.






So today we went over to Carol and Bob's place (Mona and Steve's 'neighbors' which are about 5 miles away) to help them put up their high tunnel. Jake and I spent the first 4-5 hours sledgehammering in ground posts- for a 96 ft. tunnel, then we started putting up the arch.

See, we really are working
         :)

First day on the farm

Wow- the past couple of days have been a roller coaster of emotions; loneliness, freedom, fear, awe, doubt, and many more. We have gone from living in the city where we can walk essentially anywhere we need to go (or catch a bus/trax/bum a ride from someone) to being 1/2 a mile from anyone and over 40 miles to an actual store. It has only been a day but the realization that this isn't just a short vacation where we'll be heading back to civilization in a few days or a week has made it sink in very quickly that this ain't nothing like home. 

The drive here was kinda rough, not just because we were traveling with our 2 big dogs, cat, and essentially everything we own, but also because I kept doubting myself and wondering what the hell we were doing...we were leaving our families, friends, jobs, and pretty much everything we knew to work- in the middle of nowhere- on a farm. Well, nine hours after leaving Salt Lake we arrived in Leiter Wyoming greeted by it's only building and some ducks.

Once we found the Mitzel's house we were also greeted by Belle, a stick obsessed farm dog that is the sweetest thing you'll ever meet.

Once we met Mona and Steve Mitzel, our WWOOF hosts/owners of the ranch I was put at ease, they were both extremely nice and easygoing. Mona showed us around and in addition to seeing the greenhouse, tunnels, and pastures, we were able to see a cow give birth- which was pretty cool. Its crazy how different humans are when it comes to childbirth...the cow continued grazing even after the feet of the calf were hanging out of her, it wasn't until several minutes later that she layed down to push the calf out. Within less than 10 minutes after birth the calf was trying to stand up and begin nursing.

Today has been kinda difficult- it has been cold, wet, and windy almost the entire day. I've had a few meltdowns feeling homesick and lonely- still wondering what we are doing out here. We didn't have much work to do, just a bit of weeding and laying out plastic to prevent weeds so we had alot of downtime in the trailer which gave me too much time to think. Luckily the rain died down in the afternoon so Jake and I walked the 2 miles into 'town' to the post office...unfortunately it closes at noon so I wasn't able to get any stamps- but we did get to see some antelope, geese, horses, and a whole bunch of cows (including a bull who I'm pretty sure hates us)

It is calving season so there are tons of little calves all around which is cute, but you have to be really careful how close you walk by them- momma cows are really protective!! Mona even told us to be really careful walking around with Happy, our black lab, since the cows might think she is one of their calves and claim her as their own... ;)

Mona supplied us with some groceries, including natural chicken from her sister's farm and beef from their ranch so tonight Jake and I ate chicken fajita's- the first chicken either of us have eaten in years!! It was pretty good, but I'm really glad that Jake volunteered to fix the chicken...I still get a bit squeamish when it comes to cooking meat.  

Well, the weather is supposed to be warmer and clear tomorrow (and hopefully less windy- seriously, I forgot how windy Wyoming is...) and we have some work planned for setting down weed tarps around all of the tunnels so I should 'turn in' soon...but know that I miss all of you and love you tons!!

...And it really is a pretty place 

Wyoming via Portland

Where is my belt...seriously, WTH is my belt?? We have moved and downsized and 'vacationed' so much in the past couple of months I feel like I am spending way to much time looking for stuff....did I give it away? Throw it out? Is it hiding in a dark corner or at my parent's house?? Hmmm...oh well, all a part of the journey I suppose.

We made it home from Portland yesterday, it was a really long drive but made it in one day, (thanks Jake for being such a great driver :) ). We flew up there on Monday and were able to visit with my sister and her kids for a few days, acquired a mini van for our adventure, drank some yummy Oregon beer, and nearly got lost numerous times in PDX. Why it is that we think we are city people because we live in Salt Lake I will never know because navigating a real city makes me realize how not-city-people we are. 

It was really great to see my sister and nieces/nephews, its been since Thanksgiving since we were able to hang out and it's amazing how fast they grow up. Portland is an amazing city...oh Portland, how I love thee....how can you not love a city that has bike statues all over downtown~~~beer and bikes...should we ever move back to the city PDX is the place...

We will be in SLC for the weekend then on Monday morning it's off to Wyoming...to a population of 25....hot damn, not sure how well that is going to work for me...I truly never realized what a social person I am till I started thinking about only seeing a couple of people a week...less people than I usually see in a few minutes downtown or a few seconds on the bus...
but we'll be busy so maybe I won't even notice. ;)

I'll post pics and stuff once we get there on Monday, and I will really try to keep this updated often....and seriously, what else am I going to have to do in the evening???