Snow AND Christmas decorations?! A first at our new house :) Shelby and I staying warm and looking cute (well, Shelby is, anyways). Ollie loving the snowy pasture! I love how the snow traces our trees and bushes.

2012 was definitely a busy year digging our heels into our country living and setting the foundation to build our future. We have a barn finished enough to house our (in order of appearance to the farm) two alpacas, two angora goats, two dairy goats, and two sheep. Along with our animals  comes the responsibility of animal care, and we've learned to trim hooves, vaccinate, inspect, clean, mate, and keep a clean and safe barn and pasture. Truly a humbling and ongoing process for this family who has no previous farming experience.  Besides the on board animals at Fresh Eggs Farm, we have comitted to growing our farm in 2013. We have placed an order for 16 chickens (plus one that Meyer's gifts us to raise and donate to those less fortunate) to arrive in the Spring, so we have the winter to convert our shed into a chicken coop. Also, we have joined the Butler County Beekeeper Association and have made a commitment to start two hives in 2013, out past the pasture. Our fruit trees...

Once upon a time, as all good stories must begin, there lived a young boy in a home in a village. This young boy was named Marxwell, and Marxwell had a good heart, a kind soul, but not very much gold. One of the benefits of not having very much gold is that this often spurs adventure and exploration to find out more about the world around one's self. Young Marxwell did just that – he set sail to travel lands that many are content in just hearing about. Across the ocean and throughout the old counties of Europe, Marxwell experienced different cultures and people. His experiences were rich, but the emptiness in his heart grew more apparent as he had no one to share these experiences with. . “But who could possibly want such a meager man for a journey in life?” he asked himself. Still, he set course for home to search for such a woman. Marxwell hit port and found a job, earning enough money to rent a home and feed himself. Outside of work, Marxwell looked and looked for that specia...

One of the reasons that we bought a house in rural Ohio was to finally start our farm. Our 1.3 acres is just big enough to house us, some animals, and our plant food, with room left over to play. So, here are some of the reasons that I love our farm: Fresh milk! The best product, in my eyes, that we have harvested from our farm is goat milk. I never thought I would drink it, but I like it, and we get half a gallon on a bad day (a gallon on a good day). Beyond milk, we've made cheese and plan to make soap and other products. Major score! Our farm animals are fun to watch and take care of. So entertaining and full of personality, our alpacas, sheep, dairy goats, and angora goats are our pets that give us company along with the fiber and milk for our home. Fiber. I haven't found the time or patience to knit or crochet yet, and I probably won't be a great spinner, but I do love the different textures and colors of our fiber animals. Alpaca fiber is so soft, as is angora, ...

In honor of my wife, Shelby, and her birthday, I would like to share just some of the things that I love about her: Shelby loves with all her heart and loves unconditionally. She is not judgmental but will neither accept judgement of her or her family and friends by others.  Living life fully, Shelby is always up for new adventures. We've been to college, lived at the beach, and started a farm. Life is exciting, and balance is key - we need to have the means to live, but it is essential that the whole family enjoy new experiences together! She has the intelligence and drive to make it happen, and she has, many times. Shelby's sense of family has kept ours strong from the beginning. I had two children when we married, and she managed to get custody of them for us, accepting them as her own. Since then, we've had three more of our own. Lots of love in this big family of ours! As dedicated as Shelby is to living life, she is dedicated to her job. I admire the effort t...