"You Can Farm"

My library didn't have this book, and I wanted read it, so instead of ordering inter-library loan (around here, inter-library loan books you only have for 8 days and you have to pay postage), I suggested they acquire a copy. After all, we do live in a rural county and others may benefit from it. To my great delight they bought a copy and reserved it for me.

I have been thoroughly enjoying it; I am almost finished. I am going to get my older boys to read the first few chapters before I return it to the library.

While I didn't learn all that much as I already practice many of his principles on a small scale, (for instance, we try very hard to return fertility to the soil, and we grass-feed or greens-feed as much as our livestock as possible on our small holding) I have come away with a new appreciation of borrowing and/or leasing land as opposed to buying it.

We are very land-limited here and need more land to be both more self-sufficient and to generate more farm income. While I have talked about leasing in the past, now I am going to actively seek opportunities for using more land without having to come up with money to purchase some acreage.

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We have a couple piglets left to sell, but most have been sold. It was a busy week in this regard.

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I hope all had a happy Thanksgiving. We had a wonderful week (not quite getting everything done, but enough). We had some family visiting, a new friend made and some old friends over for feasting, praying, and some homegrown entertainment.

Advent starts a new year in the Church. Ironically (not being a Catholic holiday), Thanksgiving always comes just before this "new year". We have had mountainous struggles this year (the new year is not starting any different) but I realize that with all this, God has blessed the Curley's tremendously.

Oremus pro invicem!