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FRENCHIE FARM

Regenerative Farming & Farm Classes

in Family

Adios 2018, and hello 2019!

Hey friends, happiest New Year!

Sounds cliche, but the phrase “the days are long, but the years are short” couldn’t be any more true these days. This year feels like a complete blur, but it’s definitely been one for the books. Adios 2018, and hello 2019!

Adios 2018, and hello 2019!

Every year since we’ve gotten married, Ben and I joke that this will be be year for us to slow down. Each year has ironically been crazier than the next. In the last three years, we’ve remodeled our farmhouse (and lived in 3 places!) had 2 kids, andstarted a homestead. Although slowing down sounds fun in theory, I’m really loving our hectic lives.

2018 was the year that we decided to start a homestead in our own backyard. We started growing our own food while also learning how to care for 3 goats, 20 chickens, and 4 beehives. I started this little blog. We expanded our family and welcomed our sweet baby boy into our lives. It’s been exhausting, but also pretty incredible.

adios 2018 hello 2019 homestead goals

2019 goals

Rather than setting a New Years resolution that I’ll probably forget about within a week, I’m viewing the New Year as a clean slate. The beginning of the year feels like the perfect opportunity to start fresh and set goals.

Family goals

Our biggest family goal is to set (and stay!) on a better schedule and routine. Although life has been crazy, it’s time to get back into meal planning, eating together as a family, and going to bed earlier. Sounds easy, but holy moly, it’s really hard.

Personal goals

This year has been a huge challenge for me. Adjusting from one to two kids is no joke, and sleep deprivation is legit. I’m quickly learning that my own productively is closely tied to whether or not Beckham sleeps, and that’s okay. My biggest goal this year is to let it go (can you tell I’m watching Frozen while writing this?). I’m working on giving myself more grace and patience. As a perfectionist who lives by to-do lists, this is really hard. I want to work on being more present as a mom, so the to-do lists might need to wait sometimes. Especially on those nights that my stinker baby is up every 2 hours to nurse!

Photo cred: Lindsey Kay Photography

Homestead goals

We have so many ideas and future plans for our little homestead, but many factors are outside our control. (We aren’t are if the farm will continue to stay in the family or eventually get sold, etc). I’m attempting to accept the uncertainty and let it go (still watching over here, ha).

This is our first year entering into kidding (i.e. goat babies!) season. We’re so excited (and slightly terrified) to deliver Fran’s babies. 2019 will also be our first year learning how to milk a goat, which should be an interesting experience!

Other homesteading goals include raising animals for meat (excuse me while I go cry) along with some other exciting next steps. I’m not sure it these will happen in 2019, but time will tell!

adios 2018 hello 2019 homestead goals

Adios 2018, and hello 2019!

Are you setting any New Years resolutions or goals this year? I would love to hear about them in the comments below!

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Colleen 🐐🐓🐶
Well, despite my denial, I suppose that it’s off Well, despite my denial, I suppose that it’s officially fall 🍁 I tend to hold onto summer time as long as possible, especially because the bitter cold winter months are brutal in Chicago. With that being said, I’m learning to appreciate all of the seasonal changes that naturally occur on the farm, even if they aren’t my favorite 😉 Early morning chores are filled with brisk air while fog covers the rising sun. It’s beautiful in its own unique way, and maybe one day I’ll love the changing seasons as much as I love the summer heat. Or maybe I’ll move somewhere warmer in another life, who knows 🤷🏼‍♀️
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Do you prefer the heat or cold fall days?
After such an emotional weekend, I woke up feel ex After such an emotional weekend, I woke up feel extra drained today. I wanted to press snooze when my alarm went off, but I decided to get up early for a quick workout and chores instead. And gosh, isn’t it crazy how those simple decisions turn your day around right from the start? Plus, seeing these boys run toward me every morning is simply the best.
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What are some things that energize you after a rough few days?
Today was hard. . . Today was processing day for o Today was hard.
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Today was processing day for our first round of meat chickens, and I’ve spent much of the last 24 hours crying. I said my good byes this morning, and I feel grateful for Ben taking care of the logistics. Does it get easier? Is it supposed to? I don’t know.
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I usually share the fun, light hearted parts of homesteading. This part just feels hard. And sad. And I feel a lot of guilt. I feel comforted by the life we gave to our birds, but also guilty that we’re the ones who took it away. 
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Homesteading is just really hard.
Tomorrow is the day that I’ve been dreading for Tomorrow is the day that I’ve been dreading for quite some time - processing day for our first ever round of meat chickens. As a previous vegan, I’m struggling. I’d be lying if I said that I’m not tearing up typing this, or that I didn’t tear up while walking by their pasture during chores tonight. This part is really hard.
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But here’s the thing - I don’t think “hard” is a bad thing. Actually, it’s a good thing. Because if we don’t have a level of guilt and appreciation for animals, then there’s something seriously wrong ... and that’s exactly what’s wrong with our current food supply system. 
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So I’ll continue to feel guilty, because I SHOULD. And I’ll continue to feel grateful, because I SHOULD. And I’ll continue to feel really sad knowing that I’m responsible for loss, because I SHOULD.
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And the second I lose sight of that guilt and gratitude? Well, that won’t happen. Trust me ❤️
Nope, that’s not my incredible white farmhouse, Nope, that’s not my incredible white farmhouse,  but maybe one day ours will looks similar! 🙌🏼 Have you met my friend Maddy over at @addisonfarmssc? We’ve been friends on these little squares for quite some time, and holy moly, she’s definitely #onetofollow ! 
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From her perfectly beautiful farmhouse to her darling farm with a major swoon worthy garden and beautiful horses, I’m just in love. Plus she’s the sweetest, so you should head over to her account and give her a follow! ❤️ Happy Friday, friends!
The face your LGD makes when the bucks try to flir The face your LGD makes when the bucks try to flirt and blubber at them 🤣 MOM?! HELP ME!
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Swipe to see the progression 🤣 These sweet boys are simply the most patient, yet ferocious pups around! What are your LGD’s like?
The moment you realize that you literally have the The moment you realize that you literally have the most handsome buck ever 🙌🏼 Chester is a rather refined buck - he prefers to stand majestically while the other two crazy boys do all sorts of weird things, including but not limited to, flaring their lips, blubbering, flirting, and drinking pee 🤢 What kind of questionable things do your bucks do?
Tomorrow marks our first (official) day of homesch Tomorrow marks our first (official) day of homeschool preschool, but when you live on a farm, aren’t you always “schooling” one way or the other anyway?
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Well before COVID, I started thinking about homeschooling our kids. I didn’t understand the reason for being drawn toward homeschooling, but now it all makes sense and feels like the perfect decision for our family. I’m loving how sweet and cozy this homeschool room feels, and I hope our little ones grow to love learning here too ❤️ I know some of you are homeschooling pros, so I would love to hear any tips!
When the new @beekman1802 Bloom Cream is incredibl When the new @beekman1802 Bloom Cream is incredibly moisturizing, formulated with goat milk, AND packed with probiotics, the goats can’t help but check it out! #ad 🐐 I’ve been using the newest Bloom Cream moisturizer for the past few weeks and I’ve been LOVING it! It’s an incredible mix of super hydrating, gentle, and light weight all mixed into one. Perfect way to re-hydrate after long days on the farm.
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@beekman1802 also recently launched at @ultabeauty, so it couldn’t be any more convenient to try out a few new clinically kind goat milk skincare products! Shop in store or online - you’ll thank me later 😉 What are some of your favorite skincare products? @beekman1802 @ultabeauty #beekmanblooms
Eggs, eggs, eggs! Between beautiful duck eggs and Eggs, eggs, eggs! Between beautiful duck eggs and rainbow chicken eggs - give me all the eggs 🙌🏼 We’re drowning in eggs, which means we have more than enough to share with our farm class friends during their final week of class. 
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So much to be grateful for, and so many scrambled eggs, frittatas, egg bakes, paleo pancakes, etc! What are some of your favorite ways to use up extra eggs?
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