Springtime!

Honey Bell Farm is a buzz…

As our world laid bleak and barren these last few months, it can feel like winter is a never ending endeavor. Mother Nature in Ohio fights like I do. She’ll give you the cold, brutal truth of winter and once she’s said her piece, you think, “Okay, that wasn’t so bad.” Inevitably, she comes back in with AT LEAST one more “Oh, and another thing!”
Growing older, and hopefully wiser, I learn to fight fair and make my lectures shorter and my “winters” shorter… Mother Nature must not be aging as I am, for just when we think the fight is over, she comes back in with another round of snow in late March!

Having a few lovely Spring days under our belts, I’m beginning to think this might be it… the long winter might finally be over.

With that, here are our plans for Spring!

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Farm Renovations Non-Negotiables

I love the history and stories of an old farm house. The character and value that only the passing of time can bring to something. When hunting for a farm, we toured numerous old farm houses, trying to find the perfect one to meet our needs.

My favorite parts of these old houses? The best rooms that hold the deepest character and boldest display of history are those that are tucked away. The rooms that are overlooked or limited in their renovation potential to the previous owners… the attics and basements!

As you climb the stairs and peer into the poorly lit rooms, you are momentarily transported. I catch myself daydreaming of the people whose hard work built this home, the children who sought these rooms during their games of hide and seek, the once precious possessions that were placed there for temporary safe keeping… Oh, to revel in the stories an old home could tell.

With all of the charm an old home provides, sometimes the simplicity of times gone by means that current needs aren’t fully met. As we are gearing up for renovations, we want to be mindful of making changes that will make our lives a little easier. Meanwhile, we strive to maintain the charms of the old home and somehow stay in budget – always a challenge!

Although we didn’t have solid direction when starting the planning process, we did know there were a few “non-negotiable,” must-have items for our farm home.

Here they are… Our Farm Renovation “Non-Negotiables”

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New Year’s Resolutions

Can you believe 2018 is coming to an end?
It can be jolting to realize how fast time flies – regardless of the “having fun” aspect… it just flies!

If you asked us this time last year of our goals for 2018, we would have said:
1. Start a family.
2. Buy a farm.
3. Stay healthy, happy, and in love.
4. Listen for God’s voice and trust His plan.

As I am now blogging about my happy little family and our new farm, I am thrilled to say we accomplished these goals. Although staying healthy, happy, and in love is a daily choice and sometimes a challenge, more days are successes than failures. Trusting God’s plan and listening for God’s voice takes a humble heart and continued investment in the relationship.

Looking forward, we are so excited for what the new year will hold for us.

Monica’s New Mommy Must-Haves

As a mother, I feel like there are constant pulls in opposite directions. My inner dialogue is something like this: “I haven’t showered in a few days, maybe I should do that… but look at that sweet baby boy wanting lovin’ and there’s all that laundry to fold!” Or this common one: “You do know you’re going back to work in a month and have no sitter lined up… but how can I possibly find someone to care for my precious love in my place?!”

Before Deacon came along, I would have said my “must-haves” were much simpler and inward looking… with chapstick probably topping the list. Now that I’m a new mommy, my go-to items have shifted from self indulgence to self preservation and providing for my family.

These are not listed in order of importance, just the order that my brain processed them because I don’t have the time or energy for perfection anymore. That’s a new mom skill I’m working on… Leading us to my first new mom must-have…

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First Crop: Our Legacy

As Matt and I have discussed farming over the years, it has always been a conversation of passion, love, and responsibility. We realize the importance of responsible farming, for God has made us the stewards and caretakers of the land. Beyond our social and environmental responsibilities, we also appreciate the opportunity farming gives us to create a legacy. This is a legacy we will pass on to our children… a legacy beyond just the land and crops; a legacy of hard work, humility, and care.

This farm is more than land and crops, it’s our family’s heritage and future.

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History

The original farmhouse was built in 1924 and comes with some of the classic “charms” of a solid, old house – beautiful wood trim, stone wall basement, and a large chimney running up the center of the house. When we took possession, the owners told us they had found numerous aerial photos of the property in one of the upstair’s closets. Being that they had no use for so many, they left a few behind for us! I absolutely love seeing how the landscape has changed over the years. Continue reading “History” →

Buying the Farm

This lovely property was about to go up for auction when a mutual friend brought it to our attention. If we were interested, we had less than a week to decide before the sellers signed with the auctioneer. Okay, that’s a lot of pressure, right?! Continue reading “Buying the Farm” →