Time for some more reminiscing as I continue to look back at life here on the farm!

I left off at the beginning of the farm season of 2012.

Ok, I confess!! I had a hard time just choosing a few photos for that very small peek into 2012!

There might have to be a Taking a Look Back, Part 3!

This, to me, was the best farming season we have had on the farm!!

It was SO, SO, SO full!

We started the spring with a bang – by pouring a new sidewalk, refilling the driveway and barnyard with rock, and rebuilding the hill in the pasture.

All in the same day, of course!

We did all the normal things again that year, like raise hundreds of meat chicken and kept the pastures full of beef cows. We also had so many egg customers that we bought 60 new laying hens! This was our first year for raising turkeys for customers as well.

We filled the farm with friends again this year – my favorite thing! We also had about 100 people on the farm for Memorial Day, and hosted a movie night in the barn in September!

This was also the year of The Great Squash Adventure! What an adventure it was!

We planted three acres of squash for Organic Valley. There was about 3000 plants per acre, with a total of 9000 plants. We had Delecata, Butternut, and Spaghetti Squash. We hand picked 22,000 pounds of squash before it was all said and done, and delivered it all 33 cases at a time in the back of a mini-van! We had help picking from many, many friends – we could not have done it with out them!

Of course, our personal gardens were full too! Putting up food for the winter is SO rewarding!

Blake and I both had some significant health trials that summer, which had so many of our friends working on our farm to help us. One day some of our besties rolled in with their crew of 13 (eight boys!!). They whipped our farm back into shape within hours – we were so grateful!

What a great year 2012 was!

Yes, there will be a Part 3!

But first, let me mention that two years ago tonight, Blake, Addie and I had just arrived at the Garden Hotel in Guangzhou, China, to bring our sweet baby Miss Eliza Claire home!

I would say there is lots of reminiscing going on here!

My heart just might explode! And I may have some “crying in my eyes” – as Eliza would say!

Don’t worry – it is happy crying in my eyes!

When I asked Eliza what she wants to do to celebrate her day, she said “Just chocolate and strawberries, Mom!”

Chocolate and strawberries it will be!

I say that is a great way to celebrate our sweet baby girl!!

I have thousands of photos from our time here at Adoni Acres Family Farm, all of which are in our family scrapbooks.

Call me sentimental, but I gathered some photos to take a look back at our years here – and I think it has been a very good thing for me to do!

I never ever want to forget how incredibly much the Lord has blessed our time here!!

SO many memories. SO many fun experiences. SO many blessings!

This will be just a very small peek into life here over the last seven and a half years as I reminisce!

Right after we moved here in 2009, we jumped into farm life with both feet.

We started fencing,

building chicken tractors,

putting in amazing gardens,

canning,

getting our hay cut and putting it up,

and we even bought our first cow and named him Fleck!

The next year, 2010, brought SO many good things to our farm.

It really takes my breath away seeing all we did that farming season!

We cleaned and prepared the land and barn,

and hosted the most beautiful wedding in May!

our master gardener expanded our gardens,

we canned over 100 quarts of tomato products,

we started our egg business,

we raised twice as many meat chickens,

we had kitties coming our of our ears,

we were gifted two baby goats,

our farm was constantly full of fun, fellowship and friends,

we dealt with some flooding,

and as always we enjoyed the gift of the views most of all!

The farming season of 2011 did not disappoint!

We added a new pup to our farm crew,

had 85 gals join us to celebrate Kayla’s graduation,

raised 400 meat chickens because our customer base grew,

put up endless produce from our gardens and canned hundreds of quarts as well,

added a sign at the entrance of our farm,

cleaned out a neighbor’s old barn before it was torn down and brought home a huge load of straw,

added herb garden beds,

more apple trees,

more cows,

and after prayers for a source for free apples was answered, we put up 65 quarts of apple sauce!

Believe it or not things got even crazier in 2012!

I can’t wait to reminisce about the next four farming seasons – but I think I will make that another post!

We are taking pieces of the farm with us when we move – like our farm sign and the top piece of our corn crib – but these memories are the most important thing that will go with us when we go.

I try to picture us driving away from here for the last time, and I honestly know that we will not have the grace to do so until we need the grace to do it. So I push those thoughts away, and focus on these blessed memories instead!

We can’t wait to see what is in store for us next!