We Bought Land and It’s Going to Be a Farm

We’re embarking on a journey that’s equal parts exciting and terrifying. We bought a farm (42 acres), well in reality it’s raw land covered in heavy brush, briar patches, wetlands and a rattlesnake den. Right now, I’m thankful that we have a Jeep Wrangler, because on top of the aforementioned attributes, the land features two streams to traverse. It feels a bit like a wild Disney ride without the safety of guide rails and clearly marked paths. When it rains a lot, the larger stream becomes foreboding and there’s the real possibility of even the Jeep with its mud tires and reputation as an outdoor vehicle is threatened with water splashing up over the hood. I close my eyes and say a little prayer every time we cross, hoping it doesn’t get stuck. I’m not sure why I close my eyes, because obviously that doesn’t stop us from getting stuck.  

Once I know all four tires have made it to solid ground, I breathe again. Sometimes I wonder why we bought the property. 

Then we come to a field in the middle of the property near a couple of oak and magnolia trees. It’s beautiful, even in its unkempt state. The weedy grass is above my knees, but it’s magical because you can’t hear anything but the birds overhead and the wind whistling through the grass. Peace overtakes the anxiety, and joy replaces the terror. All those doubts disappear and I remember exactly why we bought the property.  The nearby train, the traffic from the highway and the busy life that leads back to town melt away. 

Right now, it takes a lot of imagination to see what the property can become, but the vision is clearly there. We plan to build our home in that field, and a small guest house and office in the front of the property. That scary stream creates the perfect barrier between the few front acres of the property and the majority of the property. The guest house will sit before the stream, and our home will be behind it. 

The property wasn’t bought merely as a new homestead away from the creeping of the city limits, but as an opportunity to be self-sustaining and allow us to earn an income that frees us from the traditional 9-5.  I’ve had a wanderlust heart from the moment I can remember, and although my husband doesn’t share that same interest in quite the same way…I think he’s starting to see the appeal.  

Most of my memories stem from traveling with my parents. Nothing appears more vivid when I close my eyes and think of the past than my first-time eating waffle cones at the pool in Fort Myers or learning to tie my shoes on the beach in Bonita Springs. I can remember taking my grandmother to Myrtle Beach and her seeing the beach for the first time. My heart swells with warm Christmas memories in the Magic Kingdom, and the anticipation of the sign that reads “Welcome to Florida.” 

Most of my travels growing up revolved around Florida, but as an adult my travels have expanded, and I continue to search out new destinations to create memories with my family. What I’m looking forward to the most is my children being old enough for the big trips. I get teary-eyed and joyful thinking about the day I can take my girls to Woodstock, VT in December to see the snow and build a snowman or to Quebec City for their famed Winter Carnival. I’m already planning the trip out in my mind despite that being a few years away. I want my children to be unafraid to see and experience the world. I believe it’s one of the greatest teachers available, and I want them to have every opportunity. 

I feel like my brain is somehow wired to soak up and keep travel memories more than others, which makes me seek it out all the more. While owning a farm and various small enterprises will undoubtedly take more time than the traditional 9-5, we have the freedom to create the space for multiple trips without worrying about having enough Paid Time Off or the look of a boss when we say we’re going to Canada, the Rockies, Europe or Japan. It will also allow us the ability to create several streams of income to fund our goals.

Is this all a big fluffy pipe dream? Maybe…but as I stand in that field, the weeds up to my knees and I look up at the clear blue sky, I can’t help but feel it’s within my fingertips reach. We bought a farm and our story begins here.