TRYING TO FIGURE IT ALL OUT

Life on the farm can be so rewarding, exhausting and confusing all at the same time.   I look back on these 8 crazy years on the farm and all that we accomplished and I am amazed at how much got done, what we've all gone through, how much fun, heartbreak, and pleasantries we've experienced, and how exhausted we feel most of the time. But what is it that I see for the rest of the years we will be here (yes, the rest of our lives)? Our list is small this year on the "Things To Do"  which means we've done a WHOLE LOT. But now what?  With my little birds either flying the coop or thinking about it, the farm will never be the same as it was, so where do we go from here?

Whether we like it or not, we have to pay our bills, so that means we have to make some cash to pay Peter, Paul, Tom, Dick and Harry and I am sure a dozen others nowadays.  After looking at the cash flow for this farm, it looks like I might have to moonlight or Paul is gonna hire Guido to off me.  So dreams of this farm have to become a reality sooner then later.

Our goals for this year:

• Slowly do all the updating of the Barn Bar so it can become a real event center

I found this picture on line and it made me dream the our barn could look this way or even better:

• I'm only gonna plant in the garden what we can use and put up ourselves - just a little extra to sell to local restaurants as well as the eggs
• Make more goat milk soap and shampoo & conditioner
• Work more on my photography
• Finish the outdoor kitchen this year - complete with hot tub
• Do market only when it feels good, it's never been a big bread winner so don't put energy in where it's wasted
• Do some horse back riding lessons - I have horses, use them

This may seem like minor adjustments that don't seem real bread winning, but Bob will be retiring some day soon and I think having the Barn Bar as his toy (all the time) will be the perfect retirement gig, and income winner.  And be awful fun!  How many get to do that in their retirement?