I seem to have a lot of new readers all of a sudden. Welcome! Perhaps you'd like to know a little more about us.
We are a family of four living on a twenty-acre farm in north Idaho. That photo on the masthead? I took it from our front yard early one morning a few years ago. It gives you some idea of the kind of terrain in which we live. This is farming country, and I'm proud to call many farmers our neighbors.
We like to say we're doing the three H's: Homesteading, Homeschooling, and Home Business'ing.
By homesteading, we try our best to be as self-sufficient as possible in terms of growing our own food. It's hard work - trust me. We raise Dexter cattle, which are a dual-purpose (milk and meat) breed and we put a steer or two in the freezer every year.
We also have a Jersey cow, and through her generous output over the last couple of years I've learned to make all manner of dairy products such as cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, and cream cheese), butter, yogurt, etc. We also keep chickens for meat and eggs. We're in the process of putting in a wheat field. We garden and raise fruit.
By homeschooling, of course it means we homeschool our kids. We have two daughters ages 15 and 13, and two finer young ladies can't be found. (Okay, maybe we're biased.) We strongly feel it is our responsibility to raise and educate our children and train them up to be decent, intelligent, moral, respected members of society. So far so good.
By home-business'ing, it means we have a home business which has been virtually our sole support for eighteen years. We make hardwood drinking tankards. Like beer steins, made of wood. (Hey, someone's got to do it.) Before anyone asks... yes, at last we have some retail tankards available. You can see our selection by clicking here.
We're a fun-loving, close-knit, somewhat goofy family who is happy as can be to live out in the country. Oh, and lest we offend anyone right away, you should know we're politically conservative and Christian as well.
My husband insists I mention that I'm a columnist with WorldNetDaily.com and RegularGuy.com. I write a monthly article for The Crafts Report Magazine, and I'm a regular contributor to a number of rural publications (Backwoods Home, Backhome, Grit, Countryside, etc.).
I welcome you to read about our triumphs and failures, our successes and screw-ups. Not long ago a neighbor commented that this is one of the most honest blogs she's ever read... and since she lives nearby and knows us very well, she ought to know. What she means is, we tell the plain unvarnished truth of life in the country. The good, the bad, AND the ugly. I thought that was one of the nicest compliments I'd received in a long time.
So pull up a chair and set a spell. I hope you enjoy your visit.
