What 'cha doin'?

Last fall, Peter and I had a brilliant idea: why not bring chickens into our lives come the spring of 2026? Clearly, nothing says "perfect timing" like juggling full-time jobs in Washington, D.C., living in a suburban townhouse during the week, and escaping to our homestead on the weekends. Who needs rest when you can have chickens?

We hatched a plan to spice up our weekend warrior homestead with some feathery friends. Our mission: find gadgets and gizmos to automate chicken care so we could keep up with life as it had been. Looking back, it's hilarious how we thought we could pull that off!

Peter got busy building the chicken coop and run, in what we lovingly dubbed our "chicken fortress"—a grand fencing project to keep the birds and our main gardens safe. We were ready for anything... or so we thought!

In the midst of all this, in late March, early April, my job up north went through a major shift and, long story short, I landed in a smaller role with part-time hours. Was it a hard change? You betcha! Were there tears? Double you betcha! Was it a catalyst for a new chapter for us? You sure, you betcha!

Fast forward to early May, and over a dozen chicks make their grand entrance into our townhouse. Turns out, our grand plan to shuttle these little fluff balls between the suburbs and the homestead was not such a great or grand plan at all! It was not working, for us or the birds, and we made the decision to temporarily stay put down south until the chicks could be on their own in the coop.

And all of a sudden, here we were, at the homestead full-time, commuting north for work, busy—yes, but my hours were part-time, so I didn't have to go in every day.  The daily work of the homestead fits nicely into my new schedule.

The garden started getting the TLC it desperately needed. Our chicks were thriving, and we decided to throw some ducks into the mix. We were beginning to feel like real live homesteaders!

Peter and I knew we were diving into a new chapter, and we were already a few pages deep... but where does this plot twist take us now?

1. I am transitioning from an office job up north to fully dedicate my time and energy to our homestead and business.

2. What is our business? We are looking to sell at a local mid-week farmer's market starting next spring (2027) and seek to build community and partner with other homesteaders, market farmers, and creative individuals!

3. I'm crafting some signature baked goods with a Scandinavian flair to complement our other market goodies. I've got cardamom seeds on their way so I can grow my own and grind it fresh! Peter is really bummed about having to be my taste-tester... just kidding!

4. As we adapt to the seasonal availability of market products, we're developing "farmers market to table" meal kits and seek to collaborate with other local growers.

5. We are raising our egg layers and expanding to include meat birds and rabbits, enabling us to offer a wider range of proteins at the market and to local restaurants.

6. We are committed to nurturing this small piece of land, along with the gardens and animals that flourish here, to honor God! We are determined to restore the soil beneath our feet and become a gathering place for those seeking peace and beauty!

7. Our goal is to live simply and nourish our bodies by eating well, spending time outdoors, staying active, and prioritizing relationships over possessions.

We trust in the Lord for each day He grants us. Will there be unexpected turns in our journey? Without a doubt! Our lives to date have not unfolded exactly as we planned. Even as a meticulous planner who relies on Excel spreadsheets (my current one includes 10 worksheets for various animals and gardens on the homestead), I understand the importance of flexibility and acknowledge that we serve a sovereign God who determines all our days.

He covers the heavens with clouds;

he prepares rain for the earth;

he makes grass grow on the hills.

Psalm 147:8

For now, Peter will continue working full-time. He's got a "retirement" date planned for spring 2028, and then we might be able to dive into this full-time together! Until then, I'm kicking off a small market garden business by just doing the next thing on our ever-growing to-do list.

Keep an eye out for more as we navigate our new storyline! As this tale unfolds, we intend to hold events at the homestead as opportunities to gather with friends, old and new.

Not our cows...but aspirational to be in the presence of these awesome farm friends!

So there...that's a little bit of "what 'cha doin' these days?"