This post is written by a dear friend, Collin Reynolds. She and her family’s journey is inspiring and I’m so thankful for her sharing it with my readers! Follow their journey at: https://www.facebook.com/reynoldsroost4
In a Small Town
Born and raised in a small town the closest that I came to wildlife or caring for animals were the local squirrels and our family pets that consisted of dogs and fish. I was secretly jealous of my school peers that got to miss school during fair week while they showed and sold their animals. We took a class field trip while in elementary school which my mom chaperoned and it was to a local farm. I lasted maybe ten minutes inside before I demanded my mom take me back to the school bus and wait for the trip to be over with. The smell and environment was not something I was used to and also not something I wanted to be involved in.
Living in the middle of town we had a good amount of yard space. It was big enough for my siblings and I to run around in and big enough for a swings and clothes line. My step-dad mowed it once a week and again, it was something I never took part in. We got our groceries from the local grocery store and planting or growing our own food was something I had read in books or seen in movies but not something I knew much about. As I got older and went away to college I lived in a big city.
A few years later my boyfriend and I would get an apartment in the same big city I attended college in. Our meals would come from restaurants or grocery stores. Our lawns would be taken care of and manicured by a landscaping company the complex hired and basically all of our life necessities were made up of what was convenient.
What We Thought We Wanted
Several years down the road, my boyfriend became my husband and we had a family of our own. We decided to have our forever home custom built. We planned every detail and pictured it as being everything we could ever want and more. The location of our home was on the lake in town and it was beautiful. We lived here for a few years with our two children and attempted to make this house our home.
Lake life was fun. There was always something to do and we stayed busy. Boat rides in the warm weather, building sand castles, and swimming were the majority of our activities. We lived in a cup-de-sac so there were plenty of roads to ride bikes and take walks. One thing that was lacking was yard space. Any yard space we had was on a huge sloping hill that led straight to the lake. Having two toddlers and two massive dogs made playtime rough.
Also life on the lake was busy. There were people everywhere. People on the streets, people walking their dogs, people in boats parked near and far all around your home, there were loud parties nightly, music blasting constantly, and worst of all, people celebrating the 4th of July from May until October.
This city girl wasn’t feeling so city anymore and the hints of something different were creeping in.
A Change was Creeping In
My husband was born and raised in the country. So the talks we would have about a possible move for our family became more realistic the more he realized that he was missing something he once had. The country we were living in was also turning into somewhere we feared. The older I have gotten I am able to see through clearer eyes what we are fed through news, commercials, magazines, videos, etc… Those in power seem only interested in power and money.
I felt I needed a change for myself and for my family. The more I research I did, the more obvious it became that my priorities had done a 180 degree turn. The lavish lake house and processed foods I was constantly feeding my children were becoming more of something I resented rather than something I praised.
The Decision was Made
As the housing market grew to astronomical prices we knew it was time. We listed our once thought forever home and went in search of land. Our house sold quickly and our 50 acre plot of land became a reality. I could envision in my head what I wanted, grow my own food (free of chemicals and pesticides) and knowing exactly what my family was eating, have a place where my kids could run, discover, and explore in nature, a place where my dogs could run free and have the space to do that, have chickens to provide us eggs, berries and fruits from the established trees, and maybe even a shop at the residence where I could sell eggs, soaps, and other goods as a self-serve establishment.
Yes, indeed life was looking mighty picturesque in my mind. The only problem was I had no idea what I was doing and it was too late. I was living here. The keys tour 1800’s farmhouse were handed to use with two barns that looked like they hadn’t been touched since the 1970’s, woods that hadn’t been cared for and nature had taken over, and 50 acres of land that seemed to go on forever.
Moving from a 5,000 square foot home to this old farmhouse has been the most challenging. With prices, Covid, and all of the other challenges so many others are facing, our 4 month plan of living here and building our real forever home on the land was turning into much more work and time than we anticipated. We now have been living in this house for almost a year and a half and are barely closer to our house goals than when we moved in. A picture and idea in your mind can look glorious but what actually happens can look very differently. I have learned to give it to God and grow in my faith wholeheartedly during this process.
We cleaned up the barns and have accumulated some pigs, goats, and a lot of chickens. I also opened the egg shop and love it! Our first spring and summer here we planted our first garden and it did amazing. When my tiny little sweet corn sprouts shot up, I literally cried because I was so proud that we did this all on our own. We grew something from a seed and cared for it, and it gave us food. Just like with faith, the more you care, pray, devote, and love, the more God’s blessings grow.
Challenges and Blessings
Besides the house issues we have also not had everything else go as planned. I told you prior that I was a city girl and knew absolutely nothing of what I was doing so it has definitely had some challenges of animal escapes (which led to unexpected greetings of our new neighbors), death of our farm pets (which shook me to my core the first time a chicken passed), and many other things. Life is challenging and unexpected things arise. I believe that if you think you are doing the right thing, and your intentions are for the greater good or the benefit for you loved ones, then you are on the right track.
I have learned so much from wonderful friends, books, articles, neighbors, and many others. Having my food come from hard work, the dirt on our own land, the sun and water God provides, then all of my doubts are cast away because I feel it is what is best in the long run.
Having a place that is our own that my kids can explore, learn, grow, play, and aren’t just wanting to sit inside on their electronics and devices is worth all the hesitations I had in taking this leap. I know that one day we will have our forever home that my kids, grandkids, friends, and family can visit and always come back to. O know it will be here someday even if it isn’t immediate.
Teaching myself patience is a strength I need and am forever working on. This whole process has taught me so much about myself. I have never felt closer to the earth, nature, and to God. There is still so much to learn but we are growing each day. I can’t wait to see what the future brings for us but I am patient, open heart and minded, and most of all – I am ready.
