The farm has taught me that no matter how much I want to do or get something, there is a 90% chance I won't get it. For instance, a few sunny days in a row would be wonderful so I can mow the lawn and dry out the basement. Every morning I wake up, check… Continue reading What you want vs. What you get

inct is a funny thing. We all know about the eating, breeding, survival instincts.. but I'm beginning to wonder if needing one's freedom isn't an instinct as well. Have you ever noticed that? The one time I visited a women's prison for a school project the only thought I had was, "I've got to get… Continue reading Sweet Freedom

Rico is officially "one of the girls". The vet come over today and whethered him - that's castrated for all the city-folk ; ) I'll spare the grizzly details, but here's the gist: First Dr. Wilson and Rebecca had to catch him rodeo-style (actually FIRST, I had to have a shot of Tequila). He really… Continue reading Rico & the Rodeo

There is a difference between "breaking" an animal and gaining the trust of an animal. I prefer to do the latter whenever possible.Yes, I have become quite a good little goat whisperer in the past couple of months. Once they started getting apple slices and grass cubes every night, they have been much better little… Continue reading Goat Whisperer

So.. about coyotes. When I moved out here I assumed there would be many wild and dangerous creatures around. Up until a couple of weeks ago, I hadn't seen anything but a rather large White Owl and a few Red-Tailed Hawks. My neighbors Anti and Lena told me the pack of coyotes (pronounced KY-otes) were… Continue reading Nightlife

My new favorite place is the Wilco Feed Store in McMinnville. Besides being ENORMOUS and full of tools I need, the people there make me silly happy. Lately, I've been dropping in there a lot. I pull up in my big pick up, park sideways across two spaces (no power steering) and wander in to… Continue reading The Feed Store

Look, I don't mean to complain... but I'm turning 30 in a few weeks and I still haven't met my cowboy. I've never been more baffled by something in my entire life. How do people do it? How do they find their soul-mate amidst all the frogs and freaks out there? I have dated my… Continue reading Calling All Cowboyz

My family would never describe itself as white trash. Nor would most white trash people describe them that way, but there are definite - shall we say - habits the Wilsons and Danforths have that put us in a questionable light. We eat brie, but we eat it with our hands. In fact most food… Continue reading Borderline White Trash

I never thought I would have so much fun raising chickens. When I picked up my little chicklets on April 1st the entire dozen fit in a small cardboard box. Today, four months later, they are practically full grown hens and I couldn't fit them in a box if my life depended on it. The… Continue reading Teen Girl Squad

I bought goats for my farm because I thought they would be a great little group of employees. They could eat all the stuff that grew too big while I'm at work and in the process give me some good fertilizer for the nitrogen-baron fields. Except it turns out goats don't really do that (sheep… Continue reading Goats & Apples