Only Five Days Until the Move!

This latest trip to the farm didn't quite go as planned since it was raining when we arrived, and except for a few brief hours early on Monday morning, it was still raining when we drove away on Thursday morning.  It wasn't a wasted trip, however, as I was able to get all the plastic totes unpacked, rearranged all the storage compartments in the motor-home, and Nick managed to assemble one more wall for the chicken house.  As he discovered that the "kit" was missing three of the 2"x3"x70 1/2" boards for the two side walls, and it was raining too heavily to continue working, he had to pack it all away until the next trip.  

It is good to be willing and able to adjust to unexpected situations.  Being self-sufficient means being ready to "go with the flow" since things seldom go as planned.

This is our last week in our CT home, and it will be a very busy week indeed.  There are a dozen meat chickens to process from the chicken yard to the mason jars, there are the last vegetables from the garden to pressure can, and still more packing to do.

We also pick up our new buck tomorrow so he will have a few days to get acquainted with Penny and Charlotte before the goat transport comes for them on Friday.  We plan to head out during the night on Friday with chickens, ducks and packed crates of household goods and food stockpile.

Once the chicken house is assembled, and the electric fence is installed in the goat paddock we will finally get the opportunity to take a day off and rest before we resume building the farm. 

On Thursday we left the farm and headed to Seven Springs, PA to attend the annual Mother Earth News Fair.  After missing it the past three years, we were determined to attend this year and bought our tickets as soon as they became available, not realizing at the time that the fair would coincide with the preparations for our move to the farm.  But, none-the-less, we attended and had a wonderful weekend.  

Naturally we waited a bit too long to make our hotel reservations, and ended up a forty minute drive away from the venue.  But it was a beautiful drive along country roads, through valleys and over high hills, with farms everywhere.  

We did get the last available room at the Inn at Mountainview in Greenburg, PA and weren't disappointed.  On the mountain, and on the top floor of the hotel, we had an unobstructed view as the sun made it's appearance each morning peaking out from behind the mountains in spectacular fashion.  The spacious suite included a  kitchenette and dining room, living room area, fireplace, a very comfortable king sized four poster bed, and a huge bathroom with separate shower and a large, oval, jacuzzi bathtub!  A hot breakfast was provided each morning, so I didn't need to cook during our three night stay.

 That fireplace came in handy during our second night. Since the day had been a bit cold and damp it felt so good to relax in front of the fire after  a nice long, hot soak in that deep tub.  Not at all like what we had become accustomed to at the farm.

We arrived at the hotel in the early evening on Thursday, and since the Fair didn't open it's gates until noon on Friday, we had the opportunity to sleep in and didn't get up and moving until 7 a.m.!

For us 7 a.m. is sleeping late.  At the farm we are up by 5 and hard at work by 6.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Mother Earth News Fair, it is a three day weekend of workshops, DIY projects, and trade-show geared toward farming and self-sufficiency in this "modern" age.  Attendees may go to as many workshops as they choose, learn hands on projects, examine livestock, and so much more, all for the price of their entry ticket, which can be as little as $20 per person for the entire weekend!

Just one of the many areas of vendor and exhibition tents.  This one is near the ski lift and the early morning
mountain fog was just beginning to lift as thousands of attendees began to arrive.