wanted: small house with acreage.

dreams include:  bike-able to downtown areas (ie we can load up a bike trailer and haul all our goods to the farmers market each saturday). small acreage (1-10 acres) - enough to grow a large garden, plant some fruit trees, and keep some small livestock (chickens, bees, a few goats - pygmy/dwarf/full, dogs, maybe a horse). house can be in minimal stages of disrepair - so we can grow as a loving married couple, fixin' 'er up and learning some basic handy skills (ie plumbing, electrical, carpentry, etc.) so long as we can make the house and land more liveable. also to include: wood-burning fireplace, wood floors, porch, good counter space in the kitchen (for fermenting projects), maybe an outdoor kitchen, existing perimeter fencing, stock tank, both wooded and open areas.  interested in both traditional and owner-financing. a cabin or cottage would be lovely. small but cozy. please contact with great opportunities.

also, we are poor.  and will supply our own rocking chairs.  but are willing to build/repair toward our dream.  see below for suggestions:

wooden - but not energy efficient. via Backyard Neighbor.

amazing gypsy kitchen via Thrift Candy.

Amazing wood stove via Thrift Candy.

More amazing gypsy kitchen from Thrift Candy.

outdoor kitchen & garlic via Transition Woodinville.

canning wall via Sweet Mama Jane.

foxfire friday.

once upon a time, i was reading through the foxfire series.  a lovely series from which to learn many of life's little secrets.  like concocting moonshine.  or cobbling shoes.  or raising goats.  or making jam.  and i thought to myself, why not bring that into being here where i live - where we gather and share skills and learn from one another - none of us experts and none of us really knowing one another other than knowing what we'd like to know more about.  and so foxfire fridays were born.  a series emerging from the local whim and fancies of friends we know who craft and can and brew and stew and ferment and forage - and meet month by month.


but why the friday?  i also discovered a lovely little farm in birmingham, alabama (the jones valley urban farm) who ran a workshop series entitled 'second saturdays,' and yup, they meet on the second saturday of every month.  mash 'em together and here we are with waco's own foxfire fridays.

thus far we've learned about:

• canning and preserving
• kombucha brewing
• knitting
• cheese-making (hard, soft, and yogurt cheeses)
• soap making
• herb-crafting (tonics, salves, and syrups)
• rootbeer brewing
• diy household cleaners
• and backyard chicken keeping

and the story continues . . . this month - january - i'll be leading another soap making workshop at the urban gardening coalition headquarters.  stay tuned for more details and lovely stories and photos from what results.

ps - i'm hoping to name my first daughter tallulah falls - after a story (and place) mentioned in the foxfire books.  my husband concurs - so long as he can name a son jasper jack.