A Visit to my Future Farm

image from canelleetvanille.blogspot.com

I was so happy to visit my future farm again today.  So happy.

I only wish I could have brought a paint brush, drill, and plow so that I could have gotten started on the GROWING list of projects that need to be done.  I can't stop thinking about all of the work.  And then I think of even more things that need to be done (for example, while looking at repairing the front stone wall so I can see pulling out of the driveway, I realized that the trash storage container is broken, and that I also need a mailbox, and that the driveway needs regrading...phewf).

I know that once I move in and get started, I'll feel better.  I'll also feel much more exhausted and some of the little projects will feel much less important in comparison to the rest of the work that needs to be done.

Meetings with the contractors went pretty well.  The general contractor thinks the apartment porch just needs to be reinforced, not to have stronger beams and new footings like I thought (score!).  The electrician agrees that the house needs some work, but thought the existing panel will serve us just fine until we're ready to tackle renovation projects on that room of the house.  He can also rewire the barn, but in order to do so the barn needs to be water-tight (which makes sense).  This means repairing the roof (which I had planned), as well as the windows and the door.  The heating contractor agreed the furnace should be replaced with something more energy efficient, but recommended a much more simple system than the last guy I brought in.  And the folks from the local family flooring company were friendly and gave a very reasonable estimate.  Actually, everyone who came was extremely nice and patient in explaining things to me.

It feels so good to be surrounded by such helpful, supportive people.

While I was at the house I took a bunch of photos for K, collected soil samples, and got to speak with the current tenants.  Initially I thought I would start fresh with the rental agreement, but the kid that lives there now is very polite, willing to sign our new contract, and actually interested in farming.  Maybe he was just telling me what I wanted to hear, but he seemed genuinely excited about the farm and expressed strong interest in helping out.  How lucky and I?  :-)

I'll answer that for you - I'm EXTREMELY lucky and INCREDIBLY fortunate.  Even when I have moments of bad luck, I'm surrounded by so many people that love me.  And in less than 5 weeks my dream is coming true.  How awesome is that?

Pretty awesome.  :-D