Ermbracing your inner lunatic. You have to. The journey Andrea and I embarked together 6 years ago was destined to be unconventional from the start, after all it involved a pug dog and 4 of the first 5 years of our marriage living apart.
By the time she, the Reds, and the pug dog made it to Texas the vision of the Homestead was fuzzy. I’d planted more than a dozen fruit trees on our third of an acre lot in Idaho, along with grapes, raspberries, a very productive raised bed garden, ducks, and chickens to help us get ready. Don’t let anyone tell you that stuff doesn’t matter, it does! After you get a little experience there it’s easier to scale when (if you want) to get bigger.
Here’s the down side of your journey. You will have people not like the way your paddocks look, or understand why in the world your chickens get to go wherever they please. They will be offended by the lack of uniform grass because you’re paddock shifting your livestock. Some of them will let you know in no uncertain terms that: You’re crazy; Your place looks trashy due to the wildflowers you mow around in your yard; You’ll never make money this way. Haters gonna hate as they used to say.
Some folks you can explain what you’re doing for a bit, and the light will come on. Some folks will see the progression and they’ll want to learn how to emulate what you’re doing. Some folks will simply choose to ignore you. The final group will confront you, be unwilling to listen, or see, what you’re working towards – it is here my friends that you have to unleash your inner lunatic. Put on your craziest smile, pick up the chicken nearest you, and do your best Joel Salatin impression, with all the love in your heart tell them you’ve got a chicken tractor to move by hand and move 1000 pound cattle held in by nothing more than a single strand of 14 guage wire and voodoo, then excuse yourself to go eat some amazing food with the people you love.
Maniacal laughter is always appropriate.https://www.instagram.com/p/BTiE5ckha9a/
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