| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| treehugger_ |
Posted - Jul 16 2009 : 12:37:46 PM
Hi Farmgirls, how happy I am to have found you!
I am Lozz, I was raised a farm girl in Australia and became a city girl for a good 10 years - I needed to know about the hustle bustle of big city life and lived in London England, Sydney Australia and Vancouver, Canada. 10 years into that I was sick of the hustle bustle and on June 1, 2009 I officially became a farm girl again and have settled down in the interior of British Columbia. Its been very easy to settle back into this homely position of country living and I honestly couldnt be happier.
Ive purchased land with a group of 4 friends, 4 lovely friends who all have one common interest.. sustainable living - giving back to the earth what we've taken and setting up a fine future for our offspring and those who are yet to come. We have a long way to go but have no lack of motivation or inspiration to draw from.
Right now, we have a well which pumps out a mighty amount of water, a small orchard of 9 trees which we planted this spring and a 8 foot deep outhouse which we dug. That's about all we have up here. Im living it 'wild' as my Ma would say. Hopefully in 2 years we'll have a 7 acre field growing delicious food for all to eat, and a solar shower house for those days of long hard work.
We do have a lack of funds though! Its not easy to find money to set up (As im sure you all know!) expensive irrigation, raising barns and fencing fields but bit by bit its coming to life here. We've just set up our well to direct water to our field, 600 foot of 100PSI polypiping. Phew. I couldnt count how much ive learned in one month of being here! We've been making silkscreened tshirts and underwear, homemade jam and selling at local markets and craft fairs. Ive tried Etsy too but havent had any luck there... is there a secret for making sales on Etsy? Its nice to use our brains and creative ability to pull in some funding, and to meet local people who are interested in the same things as us.
Our very first farm dog arrives next weekend (sooooo excited!) He's a blue heeler and I plan to train him to be a great farm dog, family member, and exercise buddy who motivates me to run around that 7 acre field every day and get fit! fit fit fit!
I wonder if anyone else here is involved in co-op farming? I honestly couldnt be where I am right now if it wasnt for my farming group.
I look forward to chit chatting with you all and sharing hints and tips and farming secrets.
Lozz
Wishing Well Organic Farm |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| paradiseplantation |
Posted - Jul 21 2009 : 09:27:09 AM
Hi, Lozz! Sounds like you've got a great place! Glad you could join us!
from the hearts of paradise... |
| Ga Girl |
Posted - Jul 21 2009 : 06:20:42 AM
Welcome Lozz! So glad you joined us! Please give us your etsy site so we can check it out! I love to see what all my farmgirl sisters are making. I havent sold a whole lot but I am hanging in there. looking forward to seeing more post from you! Blessings,Karen
Create in me a pure heart,O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalms 51:10 http://farmgirlingastyle.blogspot.com/
www.KKJD1.etsy.com |
| Sitnalta |
Posted - Jul 20 2009 : 6:50:47 PM
Welcome Lozz! I look forward to getting to know you!!
hugs
Jessie
Farmgirl Sister #235
"You are my strength when I am weak. You are the treasure that I seek. You are my all in all. Seeking You as a precious jewel; Lord, to give up I'd be a fool. You are my all in all."
Stop by my blog for a visit www.messiejessie2.blogspot.com |
| mellaisbella |
Posted - Jul 20 2009 : 5:04:37 PM
hello from the other side of Canada:) you'll love it here!
"we must be the change we wish to see in the world"
farmgal #150 |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Jul 17 2009 : 1:39:41 PM
Lozz, you should look up Sequatchie Valley Institute here in Tenn. They have alot of people living like that and are very sustainable. Build with their own materials and have classes and all kinds of really neat things. You might get some good ideas from them.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| treehugger_ |
Posted - Jul 17 2009 : 11:49:32 AM
Karin, hello a local!!! An honour to meet you. I am in Robson yes, Pass Creek technically but it's so small that it seems like it doesnt exist. So, Raspberry Robson it is (though i havent found any wild raspberries yet, just thimble berries).
Syringa is just 10 minutes away and is where I most enjoy being on a hot hot day. Its just stunning there isnt it? Do you run a farm in Spokane? |
| YiberryYadeeKarin |
Posted - Jul 17 2009 : 11:22:24 AM
Howdy!
Do you live near Robson, near Castlegar? If so, I LOVE Syringa Creek PP!!! My daughter and I camped there last year in June for two nights and hope to go back there the first week of September.
I'm in Spokane so not TOO far away!
Karin |
| treehugger_ |
Posted - Jul 17 2009 : 10:51:36 AM
Hi Kris, it does feel very exciting yes! I feel blessed and double blessed to be where I am. We plan to build MANY homes here! Thats what I dream of mostly when Im sitting in the quiet on the mountain.
We are thinking of making all natural buildings out of resources we already have on our land, save money and reuse fallen trees! Wood cabins, Yurts and Cob Houses.. and I dream of a huge huge red barn. We'll likely have a combo going as we're all eager to learn different building types and experience the different feels they have.. I really love the idea of living in a round home though, with a beautiful indoor fire pit in the middle.
Does anyone here live in a yurt or cob house? There's some greeeat groups who teach cob home building in B.C. but I havent seen anywhere that teaches yurt building... |
| treehugger_ |
Posted - Jul 17 2009 : 10:29:53 AM
Aww thanks everyone for such a nice welcome.. i feel right at home already.
Corinnelouise, louise is my middle name :) I would love to visit france, but I should pick up some french before I do that.. thats one thing Ive been meaning to do ever since I moved to Canada.
Etsy is: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6562142
That's me in the girly pictures and the boys you'll see there are part of our farm group too.
G'day Dutchy! I grew up south of Sydney in the bush.. with wombats and kangaroos and possums and snakes (these Canadian animals sure take a very long time to get used to... Id say they're even scarier than a deadly spider) I used to call it an Alien landing space as there weren't many humans around! |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Jul 17 2009 : 10:21:31 AM
Welcome from Ga. What an exiting life you must have now. I look forward to hearing more from you about all your new adventures. Sounds like so much fun and lots of hard work but so worth every minute of it. Will ya'll be building homes for yourselves or all together?
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| Calicogirl |
Posted - Jul 17 2009 : 05:18:15 AM
Welcome Lozz!!! 
Wow, it sounds like your life is pretty exciting :) How fun! I am glad that you joined us here, I know that you will love it and gain a wealth of knowledge from the ladies :)
I look forward to getting to know you. Congratulations on your new pup!
~Sharon
By His Grace, For His Glory
http://merryheartjournal.blogspot.com/ |
| Tapestry |
Posted - Jul 17 2009 : 12:47:14 AM
Welcome to the forum Lozz! You've found a wonderful place to learn and it sounds like you have a great deal to share with all of us also. My hubby is from B.C. originally but I "imported" him to the States 5 yrs ago last month. He lived on Vancouver Island in Victoria. I had a wonderful 2 wks there with him. It is such a beautiful place. Glad to have you with us :)
Happy farmgirl sister #353
Look for rainbows instead of mud puddles
http://fantasm01.imagekind.com/
http://tapestrysimaginings.blogspot.com/ |
| dutchy |
Posted - Jul 16 2009 : 11:52:27 PM
Welcome Lozz, from the Netherlands. Which part of Australia did you grow up in? I have lived in Oz for about 2 years. G'day mate, lol.
OOPS I saw you're from Sydney, I lived in Ballarat, Vic.
Hugs from Marian/Dutchy, a farmgirl from the Netherlands :)
My personal blog:
http://just-me-a-dutch-girl.blogspot.com/
Almost daily updates on me and mine :)
|
| Corinnelouise |
Posted - Jul 16 2009 : 10:51:46 PM
Welcome Lozz, what a great adventure you are on.
Plese give us your Etsy shop address, it would be fun to help you out.
My DH is from Hull, QC and we are in France at the moment.
Corinne
Sister # 101
'Heaven on Earth' is a choice you must make, not a place you must find.
Dr. Wayne Dyer |
| DaisyFarm |
Posted - Jul 16 2009 : 4:04:15 PM
Hi Lozz...I am in Metchosin which is roughly half way between Victoria and Sooke.
Di |
| GrammyGoose |
Posted - Jul 16 2009 : 3:32:45 PM
Hi Lozz! Welcome!
Sue
Farmgirl #656
"This is the day that God made, let us drink juice and enjoy it!" - Reece Stutts, age 3 |
| electricdunce |
Posted - Jul 16 2009 : 1:20:24 PM
Welcome Lozz! What an exciting adventure you are on, and how nice to hear about you, your friends and your plans. I think etsy is such a massive assortment of stuff it is hard to get the attention you deserve. I know posting soething new every day for a while gets your product on the recently listed rolling info , may be someone will respond. So glad to hear you have discovered the Farmgirl Connection, it's a great spot.
Karin
Farmgirl Sister #153
"Give me shelter from the storm" - Bob Dylan
http://moodranch.blogspot.com
http://domesticnonsense.etsy.com |
| quiltin mama |
Posted - Jul 16 2009 : 1:07:03 PM
Welcome Lozz- glad you're here with us! :)
You can visit my blog at www.mountainhomequilts.blogspot.com |
| treehugger_ |
Posted - Jul 16 2009 : 12:57:10 PM
Hello Di, Where abouts on the island are you? I've had many wonderful times on vancouver island, what a beautiful place! and a great climate to grow in also.
I know what you mean about vancouver..! When I first moved there 6 years ago from Sydney it felt like a small town.. a city but such a small small city. It wasn't overly busy and no matter what street you walked down friendly faces would smile and chat. In the last 2 years though it has really become a chaotic place, a busy bustling city where the suits are too busy to smile at others when they walk down the street. That's when i started craving the open space of the country again. |
| DaisyFarm |
Posted - Jul 16 2009 : 12:50:14 PM
Welcome Lozz from Vancouver Island. Congratulations on your co-op farm, sounds fantastic! I also congratulate you for surviving living in Vancouver. One day there is a sensory overload for me!!
You'll love it here, some of the nicest farmgals you could ever hope to meet.
Di on VI
Farmgirl Sister #73 |
