Farm Life

Talk about an overdue blog! If I told you I have been a little busy that would be a huge understatement. The move from Charlotte to Marshall nearly killed us. Only a slight exaggeration I assure you. Matt worked ridiculous hours and I managed to pack our house up with a 4-month-old baby on my hip. A special thanks to our family and friends whom helped with Jasper for a few precious hours so that I could pack. Also, a special thanks to our friends and family that helped pack up the truck and waved lovingly goodbye!

As I drove down I-40 West, in Matt’s truck, hauling a trailer, with two cats in the back, Jasper beside me and feeding him a bottle while driving J, I was finally beginning to feel the tension in my jaw release. We were welcomed by three new friends that helped us unload the truck and shared with us their own farming adventures. We ended that very long day having a well-earned cold beer with Marshall locals.

The weeks following our move are an utter blur. A joyful blur though. We had constant guests (we still do!). I attempted to make our cabin an efficient living space. It is small but very comfortable. We tilled and ‘de-stoned’ the gardens. It was back breaking work. I managed to plant ¾ of the large garden space. Matt cleaned up the basement to make it suitable for guests.  Matt also has done all sorts of farm work using the tractor, John Deer mower, his incredible ingenuity… I watched him unload a building from the other side of the property essentially by himself using the tractor as his ‘extra’ hands. It was really amazing.

The one thing we are learning is that we don’t have to do it ALL now. There are endless projects that need to be done or that we want to tackle. My primary focus has been to grow food. I don’t know if that will ever change for me. Matt and the other owners all have different interest and some basic shared interests as well. When we all got together, everyone tackled something different. It was kind of interesting to see what everyone was concerned with. I hope that when everyone has built their homes we can tackle projects quickly and efficiently as a group. That isn’t to say that we haven’t had group efforts, for instance… the fire pit was a hot mess and the group took care of it quickly in an afternoon.

I have to admit my veggie garden ‘plans’ went out the window. I had to hastily plant seeds during Jasper’s naps. I’m pretty pleased with what has been accomplished and the soil here is INCREDIBLE. But it isn’t a picture perfect layout by any means. Also…weeds are hard for me to keep up with. The most important thing is that we are eating from the garden now. Just this morning alone I harvested zucchini, squash, small bell peppers, a bunch of green beans and a few small carrots that needed thinning. It has been like that all of this week. We have also had ridiculous amounts of radish, blueberries, blackberries, cherries and strawberries. So, I can’t whine too much about our first summer garden season so far. I just have hopes for better planning for our fall and subsequent gardens.

We are in discussions about what type of business to run from the farm. There are various crops we are learning about. I think we will have to work as a group to make some definitive decisions on that matter. Suggestions are welcomed.

What I am enjoying the most right now is being a Mother and “farm wife”. We are living a very rural life. We don’t watch any TV, it is 20 minutes to the store, we have no Internet and our lives are richer being unplugged. I find myself reading field guides and gardening books; and Matt reads fishing books and car manuals. We are pretty much up and down with the sun.  I love going to the mailbox again.

I also really enjoy sharing the farm with guests. People transform here. The farm is the best blood pressure medicine I know of. People gawk at our lilies in disbelief. They are truly breathtaking. I find people talking about simplifying their lives at home…wherever they are visiting from. One of my favorite things to do is to stand by the blueberry bushes snacking with friends.

I know this all sounds like a commercial for ecotopia but I assure you there are moments where my skinned fingers and insect bitten ankles crave a spa day. I am human after all. But this is the way of life I was meant to live. I feel it in my bones. Literally…my bones ache!

Matt’s folks broke ground on their new house a few weeks after we moved. It proceeded to rain for two weeks and progress slowed tremendously.  I feel like we are in for a good dry spell now which should help gets things underway. Their home site is a few hundred feet away through the woods. Lucky Jasper will have grandparents in skipping distance some time in the Winter.

Sweet Jasper Finn just turned 6 months old. He is our dream realized in a little spirit. I can already tell he will be our farm muse. I find we do everything with his future days here in mind. He brings so much joy.

That is the news from the farm.

Work Zone Ahead

In my last blog post, I was gearing up for the big garden plan. I was hoping we would have made lots of progress by now. Alas, Life happens. Between the new baby, Matt wrapping up his Charlotte jobs, important weddings of some of our best friends, bad weather, and packing...we just haven't been up to the farm. We did FINALLY make a trip up there last weekend. We move in at the end of next week and we are SO excited.

Last weekend was magic for us. As we drove onto the farm, I was shocked at how different it looked as Spring has made a major appearance. Everything is so lush and rich. The rain has been so good to the land. Our family picked up tons of junk and trash that had been left by the previous owners too. What a difference that made! My Mom hired a neighbor to turn over three large garden plots by the greenhouse.

I believe after spending some time mulling it over, I have a plan for these three areas.

Mom defined this area as the asparagus garden. I plan to fill half of the area with corn. Did I mention that Mom bought 100 one year old asparagus crowns?

Matt and I about broke our backs getting 1/3 of them in the ground.

Madison county has some major rocky soil. Check out the size of some of those stones. It's going to take a lot of work de-stoning the gardens. But, the soil is SOOO rich! It's worth the work.

For this large section I want to plant a Store and Can garden. This will be food we put up for year round enjoyment. And, this smaller bed right beside the green house I want to use for seasonal produce. I feel really behind on planting but, I know the greenhouse will help us catch up.

The previous owner had a lot of herbs already planted. It will take us a while to identify all that is there. When I was pregnant, my midwives recommended I find some comfrey tea to use for swelling (use your imagination why). It was actually hard to come by and a friend ended up giving me some. Well guess what is growing on the farm in full force? Lots of comfrey!
* Note* Do not drink comfrey tea. Use it as a topical cure only!

We also have strawberries and blueberries that Mom planted and some that were already residents on the farm. I also found lots of blackberry and raspberry bushes scattered around.  It should be a great cobbler season.

There is so much to look forward to and a TON of work to be done. I can't express how overwhelming it is to stand in this dirt and know that it is yours to work. We have time, we have...forever. Matt, Jasper and I enjoyed a sunset together. We watched the sun say goodnight over the trees to the West. It was a sweet feeling to be with each other looking over the fields, together. 

A dream come true.

Veggie Garden Plans

I'm pretty excited about this year's vegetable garden. Why? For many reasons. First of all, it will be on our new farm. I have been 'farming' my little city lot for years now but I have had a lot of limitations. The learning experience has been invaluable but I'm ready to spread my seed or wings? Second, besides a few days of extra support from Matt, this will be the first time I get to garden with other people on a more frequent basis. I'm excited that my Mother and Matt's Mother will be hunched over with me planting, tending, and harvesting food. Third, being a new Mother, I am even more conscious about the role food plays into my family's health. Growing our own food gives us more control over what goes into our bodies. Let's face it, I like control :) I'm excited that little Jasper will grow up understanding veggies come from the garden and not the produce aisle.

Now the planning begins. The previous owner of the farm had a small vegetable garden directly behind the greenhouse. It looks like a very convenient location.  We also need to do some major clean up in the greenhouse. The current plan is to clean out that old garden location and add to the rows she already started. The farm was organically tended for years. I'm confident that the soil is still in good shape and pesticide free. 

My first step is to confirm what we want to grow. Then we have to define a garden plan and sowing/planting schedule. Finally, we have to purchase seed and any starter plants we aren't comfortable growing from seed. I know this year will be a major learning experience. A good garden diary will prove to be crucial and helpful in subsequent years. I'm feeling that with the added support of family, it is going to be a fabulous garden.


So far, this is our wish list for the garden:
Kale
Collard Greens
Lettuce (Variety)
Onions
Spinach
Broccoli
Sugar Snap Peas
Bush Beans
Sweet Potato
Potato  (Variety)
Beets
Carrots
Radish  (Variety)
Tomato  (Variety)
Pepper   (Variety)
Melons  (Variety)
Summer Squash  (Variety)
Winter Squash  (Variety)
Cucumber  (Variety)
Corn - I have had bad luck at corn but I'm hoping that the we can overcome my losing streak.
Herbs  (Culinary and Medicinal Variety) 
Okra
Asparagus (Buying 1 year crowns from the extension service)
Garlic


There is also mention of adding to the existing fruit trees and starting with a 1/8 acre of hops! Can you taste the beer? Yummy!

Growing Jasper Finn

A little video sharing the pregnancy and growth of little Jasper Finn.

Music: Derek Trucks Band "Sierra Leone"

Most of the belly photos were taken on my iPhone which is why they aren't real sharp. Brooke Hofsess photographed Matt and I when I was 28 weeks pregnant. Those photos are, of course, beautiful.

Enjoy!

Come on Baby!

Jasper Finn Pike arrived on Jan. 12th, 2011 at 11:45am
Here is the story of his arrival...

I told Matt a few times late in my pregnancy that I had been in labor for 9 months. The anticipation of our first child was my only focus. I didn't expect to feel that way. For years I was in the no kid camp. Now, I can't imagine life without Jasper.

I have heard that storms can send women into labor. I believe that is true now. Even the snow that came around Christmas had me feeling very uncomfortable. But, the second storm was for real.

Saturday January 8th I was feeling a lot more Braxton Hicks and they had rhythm to them. In the evening we went to the Alexander's for the Pike belated Christmas gathering. Matt noticed me squirming and started timing the contractions. They were only 10-12 minutes apart. We headed home and Matt started a bath for me and brought me some wine. We were able to sleep fine. Sunday was a different story. 

All day Sunday I was feeling uncomfortable. Then the little fires started. I called the early contractions little fires. That is how they felt to me. I would visualize a little bundle of kindling in my womb suddenly going up in flames and then fizzling out slowly over a minute later. I started timing them some time after watching 'Wipe Out' on DVR. I may have to credit that show for starting these little fires. They were 6 minutes apart. Meanwhile, the weatherman is warning of a snowstorm. I was nervous about not being able to get to the birthing center but we waited it out. I wasn't sure that this was it. The little fires picked up slowly but surely. Matt worked with me. On the floor, on the bed. sitting, and standing. We moved downstairs to the guest room. Matt took a nap and I paced the living room. I saw the snow falling and checked my timing again 3 minutes apart at 3am. We had to go. We couldn't risk getting stuck at home without assistance.

Matt called our midwife and doula to say we were coming in. The drive to the birthing center that night goes down as one of the most terrifying moments for me. I am unreasonably afraid of driving in ice and snow. Not to mention I was contracting and worried that I was going to have the baby on the side of the highway. When we arrived I was shaking like a leaf. I was ushered into a birthing room and the midwives and doula buzzed around me preparing things and checking me out. I was such a wreck from the drive that I had spiked my blood pressure pretty high. After I had a few minutes to get my bearings, I stopped shaking and my blood pressure went back to normal. After all of the excitement, I was already exhausted. The snow was really coming down. Looking out through the big windows of the birthing room I remember feeling like I was in a snow globe.

Things slowed down. My contractions started spacing out. I was holding normal conversations. This wasn't it. It was way too easy. I still had the little fires but they were defiantly spacing out. I could have slept between them but I didn't. Heather worked with me some trying the birthing ball, walking around, etc. but it just wasn't time. Early morning the midwives sent me home and proclaimed, "see you REAL soon."

Monday the snow turned to ice. I was determined to get some rest and not drive in ice. I stopped taking calls. People were calling a lot and I was just trying to stay comfortable. It was a very emotionally tough time for me. I was mentally preparing myself. Trying to let go and allow my body to do it's thing, I can see that now in retrospect. We made it through Monday night. I slept in 5 minute chunks between contractions. 

Tuesday. I was pretty sure the baby was coming on Tuesday. After all it was 1-11-11! He really tried to come Tuesday. He had me buckling in pain by mid-afternoon. These contractions were different. That little fire was now HUGE. I decided to try the bath again in the evening. We knew that if it was real labor then the contractions would speed up and not slow down in the water. I got in the tub with a glass of wine and Matt sat beside me on the floor with a beer. I was relaxed mentally after a brief melt down. Matt helped me through it all. I had accepted that I was having this baby. The contractions intensified and got closer together. The midwife and Matt were texting my progress and at that point she suggested the doula needed to come to the house. 

Heather arrived and she accessed my contractions and had me go up and down the stairs a few times. If you ever want to bring on stronger contractions...walk a flight of stairs. It was after midnight when we left the house to go to the birthing center. So, no Tuesday baby but we had active labor.

Another sketchy drive with more intense contractions and we were at the birthing center again. The midwives decided to check me to see where I was. I will spare you all of the details but basically I went to 5cm in about 10 seconds. From there I went into what I call Circuit Training Labor. Heather and Matt would make sure that I kept changing positions often. I labored everywhere in every position EXCEPT for the bed. The bed was the devil. I had one contraction in bed. It was HORRIBLE. I think it is torture to hook a woman up to IVs and tell her she has to stay in bed during labor. There is no way I would have been able to have a natural labor if I was forced to stay in bed. I walked, swayed, bounced, leaned, danced, squatted, and floated in water. Matt and Heather were there the whole time encouraging me, holding me up, rubbing my back, feeding me, and smiling. 

I can't really tell you how it feels to labor. I imagine it is unique to each woman. What I can tell you is that I made it one minute at a time. The great thing about contractions is that there are spaces in between. If you can survive a minute, you will get a rest. That is until transition. 

I don't know what time it was when I hit transition. I think it was starting to get light out. It was just Heather and I in the room. Matt was trying to get some rest. I was in the tub and what I can remember is feeling like a train was running through my body. The spaces in between were intense too. I could hear my voice but it sounded like somebody else or something else. A monk chanting mixed with a dog being kicked maybe? The noise was primal and it just had to come out. Those were the longest moments of my life. In between the pain I would talk to the baby. "Come on Baby!" became my mantra. I was talking the baby out of the womb.

The midwives would come in to check the baby's heart rate and my general progress on the hour. I think it was on the hour? I really don't know. Having the support of my incredible husband, doula, and midwives gave me extreme confidence. I can't express that enough. The environment of the birthing center is so comfortable and inviting. I never once thought of pain medication or intervention. 

I felt the urges to push coming again. When Pam and Lisa check to see if I was ready they said I had a 'lip' of cervix still in the way. I was so exhausted after days of labor and this was hard news. I had to suppress the urge to push and squat during the contractions to get the rest of the cervix out of the way. It was the last hurdle but it was a doozy! I was still in the tub flopping from my back to a squat for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, Pam had me try to push through the last part of the cervix and it was a success.

Pushing is different. I have read other women's birth stories and they said the same thing. Pushing is different in a really good way. For one, I knew I would meet my child very soon! But it also meant I could do something to help bring the labor to an end. When I started pushing in the water the baby's heart rate dropped some. At first they just had me flip over and try pushing that way. The baby's heart rate was still dropping during pushing. So, they had me get out of the tub. 

On a side note: A lot of people asked me if I was going to have a water birth. I never said Yes because I had a feeling that might not happen. I guess I was right. 

They had me push standing up for a little bit. That was very awkward. I was starting to shake uncontrollably from the hormones and I was wrestling with an oxygen mask they had placed on me as a precaution. I could feel the baby was right there and I was nervous to push hard because I thought the baby might fall on the floor! They had me crawl onto the bed. I was leaning over the footboard on one knee. From there I gave some super pushes. When the head came out the body was right behind it quickly. And I heard, "Pick up your baby!". There below me was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I tried to take it all in. I saw what I thought was an umbilical cord and then realized it was a penis! Jasper was here! I scooped him up and flipped onto my back. Matt and I were both crying our eyes out and basically in shock. Jasper barely cried and he looked around and grasped at my now flat belly. The midwives had me touch the cord and I could feel it still pulsing. The connection between us was still pulsing. We let the cord pulse till it stopped on it's own.

Matt got to cut the cord and I birthed the placenta soon after. The midwives helped me settle into the bed. The bed was now so welcoming as I held my newborn son. They instructed us that only I was to hold the baby for at least an hour. They believe it helps the baby transition from the womb to the outside world. It also helps the woman's body begin to heal. Jasper was calm and found my breast right away and began to nurse. I was so energized and overwhelmed with love. Not only for him but also for my sweet husband. People tell you that experiencing the birth of your child is incredible. It is. In that very moment, your life resets with the primary focus being on the child. I have been breathing in every second of him since that moment. Jasper was always meant to be. That became so clear the moment he arrived.

I know that natural labor is not for every woman. I am grateful that I avoided complications that would have changed my birth plan. For me, it was what I needed and what I wanted to give Jasper and to Matt. I know that the experience changed Matt profoundly. I know that Jasper had the purest entrance into the world that I could provide him. And for me, I feel empowered. There isn't anything that I can't overcome now. The challenge of a very long labor will always remind me of my inner strength. For once in my life I am so proud of my body. I am utterly amazed of what my body did and continues to do now as I nurse my son. 

And that was just the beginning...