We Bought a Farm

“That’s the dream!”

When I told people my husband and I were buying a hobby farm, I learned that our countryside dreams were not unique, especially among other thirty-somethings. There were only a few moments when I questioned whether we were making the right decision for our family or chasing some naive Pinterest-y delusions. If it hadn’t been for the promise of unlimited eggs, I might be writing to you from a room without farm-cellar musk.

A hobby farm has always been “the dream” for us, too, but in a “put it on the shelf and I’ll remember to look at it later” kind of way. Something to be achieved after becoming accidental multi-millionaires. A dream that would require many stars to align. . .

Luckily, the stars like to align for us.

Farm FOMO?

I have no business analyzing and reporting on the rampant curiosity and desire around hobby farming, but I have some thoughts about why 80s and 90s kids are setting their sights on the simple life (minus Paris and Nicole). For starters, we’re a generation, the last, really, who grew up without WiFi and all of the gadgets that come with it. We’ve experienced the burnout of being “reachable” 24/7, while remembering the times when there was one phone in the house. If there was a computer, it wasn’t connected to the internet until 1998ish (stay with me, Susan, I know you remember when computers were the size of a chicken coop).

We’ve been riding a societal rollercoaster during pivotal years. We had babies during a pandemic, politics have turned families and friendships upside down, the economic landscape is bleak, and we’re looking toward the future in hopes that our kids can experience childhood in ways that we did.

Think “entertaining yourselves with a stick and some rocks”, not giving Brad a swirly in the bathroom.

So, why is a hobby farm right for us, and is it right for you?

Farming for Newbies

When I refer to “farming”, I mean living on what once was an actual working farm and keeping kids, chickens, and dogs alive, not earning a living as farmers. Maybe one day we will be wealthy enough to farm full-time. That’s a “not-a-joke” joke.

Do you like animals? Big and small? You think I’m talking about cows and baby chicks, but what I’m really asking is, “Are you prepared to walk up to your sweet toddler who is preciously repeating, ‘Pet, pet, pet,’ only to discover the snake he is petting at the foot of your stairs? Indoors? On a cool, fall day? Before you’ve finished your first cup of coffee?”

Perhaps you prefer mice. Maybe if I hadn’t moved the snake out of the house, I wouldn’t find mice in the kitchen drawers. Luckily, my husband is quite an efficient mouser. I will not go into greater detail.

Though our house is old, many of the windows are brand new. That is a huge blessing when buying a new home. Do you know what new windows don’t do? They do not block out the sound of bellowing cows at midnight, 3 a.m. coyote parties, or 6 a.m. rooster crows. Daily “cock-a-doodle-doooooos” are only cute when your kids are crowing. Trust me.

While I cheekily complain, these are all facets of farm living that we embrace. Even if you build a brand new home, you’re going to deal with your fair share of snakes, mice, rats, deer, birds, bugs, and, oh, did I mention bears?

Why the Hobby Farm Works for Us

My husband and I lived in a lovely home on a beautiful little street outside of Charleston, South Carolina before we moved to our hobby farm in Minnesota. We gave up what is likely “The Dream” for many people for a dream more suited to our lifestyles. While I miss the proximity to the ocean, the ease of walking to parks on scenic sidewalks and passing ponds with alligators, I don’t miss the traffic, the dense population, and the dreaded Homeowner’s Association. Bleh.

The biggest change that propelled our move to Minnesota was bringing our two sons into the world. We wanted them to be able to grow up surrounded by family, and we both envisioned our sons enjoying their childhoods outdoors, experiencing four seasons, getting dirty, and finding joy in sticks, mud, and grass (I’m aware that South Carolina has sticks, mud, and grass, but it lacks four seasons, has deadly spiders and snakes, and the alligators can climb fences, people! They climb fences!). Though my husband grew up in the breathtaking Smoky Mountains, he settled for a similar vibe with flatter terrain and colder winters. I think he loves it here. . . I think he loves it. . . Well, at least he loves me.

The farm works for us because we like a house project here and there, we enjoy taking care of our yard and animals, our three-year-old and (almost) two-year-old sons are full of energy and curiosity, and they love to explore. We’re all covered in dirt, ticks, and chicken sh*t, and my hair is not a fan of how often I need to shampoo, but we love the beautiful country mornings and magical evenings outside with our boys.

Ready for Farm Life?

At this point, I’m sure I have people running to Zillow to find their own slice of snake-and-mouse-infested heaven. Truly, the only drawback is that there is no pizza delivery out here, yet we manage to survive. Due to our constant surplus of eggs, I’m actually developing a recipe for egg pizzas that I’ll post to Pinterest (never). If you’re not looking for egg pizzas, however, and you just want to keep tabs on our life on the farm, feel free to follow me on Pinterest or subscribe to my emails!