March 14….A day like any other day. Until it wasn’t. That day will forever be the day that we as a family and as a homestead had to decide whether to cower at the challenges ahead or face them head on and choose to grow.
March 15th…a new day. Truck no longer available (totaled to be more specific), Blaze our son no longer able to help with chores. It was looking pretty bleak. Cowering was looking like a good option. But then we were reminded of our family motto.
VULNERATUS NON VICTUS
Wounded not conquered. This has been our family attitude from the very beginning. So it was time to pick up the broken pieces from the day before and put them back together. But this time, rather than put it back the way it was, we chose to GROW.
Spring is definitely a great time for growth. I look around our homestead and all I see are signs of growth. My young daughters are growing into helpful and productive young ladies. Our bare peach and pecan trees now have flowers, the blueberry bushes are bearing blossoms. Even the ducks have decided to grow. So now it is our turn. Time to play in the dirt and contribute to the growth on our homestead.
Several seed trays of lettuce and cabbage will be moved out to the garden since there is little chance of frost. But just to be safe, we will cover the young plants with a miniature hoop greenhouse that we picked up cheap at the end of the season last year at Tractor Supply. Tomato, pepper, swiss chard and spinach seeds are being started as I write this blog. Also to encourage growth on our homestead, we are clearing out the area next to our muscadines to add a soft fruit area where we will grow blackberries and raspberries.
As if that isn’t enough growth, we have added a new breeding trio of pigs to the homestead. We are also looking to add an American Guinea boar to our herd of lard pigs we brought home from Alderman Farms. Soon we will have bacon seeds growing all over the place.
I guess the point I am trying to make is this….we all have a choice. Cower at the sign of a challenge or rise to it and kick its butt! As for me and my family: it’s time to go put our boots on. Be sure to check us out on social media so you can join us as we grow!