Bad & good and we’re moving!
Posted by Amber on Nov 29, 2011 in Life In General | 50 comments
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Well, the past couple months sure have been eventful. Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.
Bad stuff happened
I referred out all my clients and I started a new job in October. It was with a marketing startup, and I thought it would be my dream job. Well it quickly unraveled. Things didn’t go as planned. I had to leave what was a completely untenable situation – financially and mentally/sanity-wise. It was a huge bummer, I really wanted it to work. It just was a bad fit. I was really, really disappointed and down.
Then our house got broken into and both our laptops were stolen. It was a bummer because yes, laptops cost money and also because it felt very violating to have our things rifled through (my clothes pulled out of drawers, our mattress flipped) but more of a bummer because I hadn’t backed up in over a month and lost tons of files (and hundreds of photos) that can’t be replaced.
Lessons learned, got an alarm system, on auto backup now. At least the dog was okay and I wasn’t home, right?
Then good stuff happened
The farmstead house
The back of the house with huge glassed-in basement and sun porch
Y’all know it is my dream to have a homestead with dairy goats and to live off the land as much as possible. Well, the same weekend that I was reeling from the fact that I had no work (and was scrambling to see if I could get a few of my clients back on board since I referred them out), my dream was literally handed to me. Anna, my yoga teacher training teacher, casually mentioned that her fiancee had a farm in northern Virginia, and he was looking for someone to live there to take care of the property. The farm was sitting there, unused, and he had to travel up frequently to check on things and maintain the land and the house.
Oh, and he wanted someone to live there and farm. And have dairy goats, to keep brambles chewed down and mow the lawn. Oh, and he wanted them to live there for free. Seriously? I got goosebumps all over. I came home that night and talked it over with Jimmy and he agreed to go see the farm. It’s in the mountains outside of Winchester, Va., which also happens to be where my BFF Genevieve lives! So wait, I get to live my dream AND live in the same town as my best friend! Eeeek!
We went to see it on Saturday. We are moving there in the spring. I am so ecstatic.
The house is awesome – he built it himself 30 years ago – lots of it is from reclaimed wood, or else wood from the property that he cut on the sawmill there. It’s heated by firewood, there are tons of south facing glass windows, an open floor plan on the ground floor, a HUGE basement for projects of all kinds, a big root cellar, and tons more. Yes, the only way upstairs is via a pulldown ladder – building a new staircase at some point will probably be a fun project.
Here’s a tour of the house, minus the basement.
I didn’t get a ton of pictures, but the land is just beautiful. It’s 31 acres, much of it wooded, but with plenty of plantable and graze-able land. There’s a creek on the property right near the house (you can hear it from the porch). There are two decks that overlook the gorgeous mountains. His kitchen garden and herb garden are ready to be planted (cover crops now). There are dozens of raspberry bushes and several fruit trees.
There’s a huge barn full of tons of stuff, a sawmill on the property, farm equipment, tractors, a dump truck, a front loader. It’s a turnkey farm, basically. He made a living as an organic farmer there in the 80s – selling vegetables to restaurants and the farmers markets in DC. The property is totally amazing. We are so grateful for this opportunity – talk about a Godsend.
The plan is…
To fix a few things in our Norfolk house and rent it out, and move up there in March or early April, when the weather will be better and we can build fences and start working the ground. We’d like to get goats in the spring, but would not start milking them til the following spring. We’ll also have chickens and bees, likely. I think some of the woods would be perfect for hogs but that’s probably a few years down the road, yet.
Since we’ll be able to live so cheaply (and if my plan works out to pay off our debt before we go), Jimmy will be working on the farm full time, at least at first. I’ll still be doing my thing with clients online, and can hopefully cover expenses for both of us. Eventually, I’d love to have the farm be totally self-sufficient and pay for itself through a CSA, cheese and soap business, etc. We plan to live there for a year and see if that lifestyle is really what we want, try to save money, and hopefully buy the place.
We are so excited – check out the pictures and let me know what you think!
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I am so excited for you – what an amazing opportunity! I know you’ll have your hands pretty full with the farming activities, but will you have a time and location that will allow you to continue to teach yoga?
Do you know how to can/preserve food? It’s really fun and not too hard, seems like that would be perfect for the excess raspberries (and other things).
Erin – I don’t know if I will be able to teach yoga. I know there are places in Winchester, but I may not have time especially at first. Canning and preserving – I have dipped my toe into it this past year and it’s super fun. I pickled 17 pounds of jalapeños last night – does that count? hahaha
Canning is super fun, and you can be so creative! Just make sure to wear rubber gloves when you’re dealing with all those hot, hot peppers!
I think things happen for a reason, for sure. This is absolutely one of those things. I can’t wait to hear about your adventures…
So happy for you! It looks as if it’s meant to be.
Thank you
So happy for you and Jimmy! This seems like a great opportunity and the property looks awesome.
I miss living in that area after living in Harrisonburg for 4 years. It’s just so different and laid back (compared to Hampton Roads).
I really hope everything works out
Thanks Annie! And yes, we are looking forward to the simple life
Wow. It’s so funny how things can turn out. Good luck, everything looks amazing!
Thanks, Summer!
That sounds utterly blissful! I’m so happy for you!
Thank you, Heather!
How exciting! I’m so sorry about the bad- but I guess it was leading you to this. Can’t wait to hear more about your farm adventures!
Thanks, we are so excited!
Sounds like a great adventure! Hope you blog the process – there’s gonna be a TON to learn along the way.
You know it!! We definitely have a ton to learn, and no better way to learn than by doing and publicly documenting your mistakes, haha.
Wow, what an absolutely beautiful farm house and what an amazing journey to come! If you need some goat advice, I’d be happy to hook you up with my goat farming friends in Arcadia. The dark days must have been really awful, but I’m excited to read about your journey to come!
Jes – I’d love to have their email! Can never hurt to have enough goaty advice
I think it looks like a lot of work, but with Jimmy not working and this being a consuming lifestyle for you guys, definitly at first. There will be plenty to do and not be bored. I cannot wait until invites are sent out, I think the kids would have a ton of fun running around the property. I am so glad you guys are taking this opportunity. Praying for you guys.
Thanks
This probably makes me sound like a creeptard but ive been reading your blog for years. I think I found it through a craft blog since I read a lot of those. Anyway, I’ve always thought your blog is awesome. I live outside of Winchester myself and would totally sign up for your CSA!
Awesome! We should connect sometime when I come up there! Go for coffee or tea!
That would be awesome! You can connect with me on facebook if ya want (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=7604257) anytime you’re up here. The house looks amazing by the way! I love the stone arches out front.
Melissa: I laughed out loud @ your “creeptard” reference. You can call me lurktard – I lurked on Craft Mafia and now Seven Cities Crafters. I could never schedule my time to attend one of their get togethers so I had to be satisfied reading about them on the blogs.
I loved reading (Amanda’s) Bake It Pretty blog, which, correct me if I’m wrong Amber, is maintained by you.
I finally met Amber and some of the other Seven Cities Crafters at the Spring Market @ Va Beach one year.
Amber: I wish you and hubby much success in this new journey of your life. I give you props for letting us peek into your life now and then. You are an inspiration. I hope you can make enough goat’s milk soap to sell back down in Tidewater. Please do blog about your new life if you can. We who can only dream about the lifestyle, can live through you! Honestly, this sounds like it would make a good reality show!
Wow. I am so jealous – that is such a beautiful area of Virginia – my parents are lucky enough to live in Lynchburg, so I get a taste of it every now and then.
Good luck to you!
Yes, the Virginia mountains are just so gorgeous
Super sweet. Love it and can’t wait to visit!
Yes ma’am!
So excited for you guys, Amber! (You’ll be so close to MD, WV, & PA, too!) And in addition to the goats, that Steinway piano is going to draw me there like a moth to the flame…
Come on out!!!
As you well know, I am so happy for you that I could cry! It is a dream come true (and I have to admit that I am a wee bit jealous). We will look forward to visiting and helping out!
Yay!
Good for you! Seriously! A year ago my husband and I moved out of California up to a small farm and now I spend my days with goats, chickens, sheep, geese and turkeys. I’ve asked my husband for a la mancha for christmas because I’ve started making cheese. I’m so interested in this! Also, with goats, expect them to escape because they will. I’ve grain trained mine so they always come back but they are smarter than I anticipated.
Haha I have also heard that goats are good escape artists. I look forward to comparing notes with you!
Super awesome!!!!!!!!!!!
How exciting (and beautiful)!
OMG: this is amazing!!!!!!!!! Congrats!
Thank you!
That is absolutely incredible and so exciting! Having grown up in an 1890s farmhouse in North Carolina with a woodstove then oil heat, then going to college in the mountains of Western NC, the landscape and the house itself really resonate with me. I know you guys must be over the moon – so fitting and so perfect!
So cool! And yes, we are very very excited
What an amazing opportunity! The house is a dream and looks like it has potential up the ying yang. I am so excited for you! That is my husband and I’s dream come true! Congrats! Look forward to the updates!
Thanks! We are super excited.
This is beautiful! I hope everything works out for you and your husband, Amber…a dream come true:)
Thank you JJ!
The universe just needed to clear you a path it would seem! This is my favorite farm here in Illinois: http://www.heritageprairiefarm.com they have yoga at the farm during warmer months.
could be fun!
Thanks for the link, it looks awesome!
Is there a dishwasher and a microwave?
Wow! Congrats on the new opportunity, how exciting!!!
What an amazing opportunity! Absolute kismet.
Just now reading this – congrats! Please keep me up-to-date on your progress
Amber, when you’re up here and settled you’ll have to come to one of the many DC Meat-Ups or our NoVA Paleo group to integrate with the East Coast Paleo Regime!
Stacy
PaleoParents.com