The new farm

With just 3 weeks left til moving day, I’m looking forward to getting to work bringing Jim Murphy’s old farm back to life. But before I get to dig in there, I first have to get through a marathon work-spree.

I haven’t had the chance to share with my readers and followers that not too long ago I went into my local Campbell’s True Value in Madison and was offered a job. They’re expanding their garden center and wanted someone to work part-time through the spring and early summer months. Since my position at Johnny’s Selected Seeds is a seasonal one, I knew that I would need something more during the summer until such time as I can replace the income with my entrepreneurial endeavors. So I took the job.

However the two positions overlap in the month of May, and with the new farm waiting in the wings, I need to come up with the deposit and first month’s rent to get there, so it made sense to me to work both jobs for a few weeks. Meanwhile, I have a myriad of projects that I need to do for Runamuk that are just clamoring to be seen to, a beekeepers’ meeting coming up, another issue of the Bee-Line to put together for the Maine State Beekeepers’ Association, and several tasks for the farmers’ market that are waiting for me too. I am managing to devote my attention to these projects for about an hour or two a day before or after I go to work, but primarily my life at the moment is consumed with raising the funds to get into the new farm.

That doesn’t leave much time for writing, so the blog has been sorely neglected–and may continue to be so until after the Big Move. So bear with me, and in the meantime–enjoy these pictures of the farm that will soon be home to the Runamuk Acres Farm and Apiary.

The barn is across the road from the farmhouse.

It’s a bit run down, but still a solid structure with lots of life left in it.

Jim’s compost pile still resides there.

Extensive pastures will make great bee-forage and beckon to me for sheep! This picture was taken at the far end of the fields looking up towards the road and the backside of the old barn.

For the first time in months that my livestock guardian dog, Willow, was able to run freely across the land. She stretched her long legs and ran happily–slowing to sniff interesting clumps of grass, fence posts, and to lap at the little streams of water running across the land as the last of winter’s snows melt away. What a happy dog she will be once we’re able to live at this farm!

It makes me so happy to see her smile like that!

And the blueberry bushes! ‘Nuff said!

Stay tuned folks! This is gonna be good!