ever feel overwhelmed?

boundarybunnyco · #1 10/05/11, 09:14 PM

I sure do. I have always wanted a farm. grew up on one. bought ten acre farm 5 years ago. there is just...not...enough...time.
I work 40-50 hours a week at the local lumber mill, as does my husband. (we met there)we work 5 a.m. til 1:30 p.m. after work we pick up our 2 year old grandson we are helping raise. 2 p.m. by now. do any errands like grocery getting or granary trip. get home around 3 or 3:30. feed the horses. feed the goats. feed the chickens. feed the rabbits. feed the dogs. feed the cats.cut the hay. bale the hay. stack the hay. depending on the season, work in the garden, work on the flower beds, chop wood, stack wood, water the lawn, do house or barn or fence maintenance, pick cherries, pick plums, pick apples, prune trees... play with grandbaby. on weekends we do projects. new fences, new deck, paint the house, build a shed or coop or something. go inside. I do all the housework, laundry, cooking and indoor maintenance. all with a two year old trailing around asking "why"? "what"? my 22 y/o daughter lives with us and works full time. well, she does her own laundry, but that is it. hubby feeds the animals in the mornings. I cook dinner and make lunches for the next day. try to bake a few times a week. I make my own laundry soap. I'm learning to preserve/freeze/can food. we raise our own beef. we also go to mother in law's a few times a week to help her out. she's 70 and uses a walker. our only down time is computer/tv time for a couple hours in the evening.
so
am I crazy or is this a typical schedule for two people who are in their mid forties and are trying to get their mini farm going? we are learning a lot as we go...who needs sleep anyways?

dwn1 · #2 10/05/11, 09:22 PM

good luck to you...nothing good comes easy. My wife and I have a small place and it is more work than we can keep up with....but i would not trade it for an easier city life. This is why we do what we do/

am1too · #3 10/05/11, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boundarybunnyco

I sure do. I have always wanted a farm. grew up on one. bought ten acre farm 5 years ago. there is just...not...enough...time.
I work 40-50 hours a week at the local lumber mill, as does my husband. (we met there)we work 5 a.m. til 1:30 p.m. after work we pick up our 2 year old grandson we are helping raise. 2 p.m. by now. do any errands like grocery getting or granary trip. get home around 3 or 3:30. feed the horses. feed the goats. feed the chickens. feed the rabbits. feed the dogs. feed the cats.cut the hay. bale the hay. stack the hay. depending on the season, work in the garden, work on the flower beds, chop wood, stack wood, water the lawn, do house or barn or fence maintenance, pick cherries, pick plums, pick apples, prune trees... play with grandbaby. on weekends we do projects. new fences, new deck, paint the house, build a shed or coop or something. go inside. I do all the housework, laundry, cooking and indoor maintenance. all with a two year old trailing around asking "why"? "what"? my 22 y/o daughter lives with us and works full time. well, she does her own laundry, but that is it. hubby feeds the animals in the mornings. I cook dinner and make lunches for the next day. try to bake a few times a week. I make my own laundry soap. I'm learning to preserve/freeze/can food. we raise our own beef. we also go to mother in law's a few times a week to help her out. she's 70 and uses a walker. our only down time is computer/tv time for a couple hours in the evening.
so
am I crazy or is this a typical schedule for two people who are in their mid forties and are trying to get their mini farm going? we are learning a lot as we go...who needs sleep anyways?

Yep sure is fustrating. At least there isn't anytime to get into trouble. Be glad you have a partner. Try doing their part as well. Some one ask don't you get bored in the country? I ask what are you talking about?

MO_cows · #4 10/05/11, 09:42 PM

Shoot, you are lucky, there is still some daylight left when you get off work. (end of sarcasm font)

Seriously, though, one thing you might think about is not putting up your own hay. The time, the cost to buy and maintain the equipment, probably rented ground since you are on a small acreage, does it make dollars and sense to put up your own hay?

Your daughter - if she lives there, she needs to pick up some chores, too. It just comes with the territory.

You just have to pick your battles and set priorities. Watering the lawn wouldn't be one for me. Watering flowers and vegetables, yes. Grass, no.

I don't mean to sound unsympathetic, because I totally understand. We have two fulltime jobs and a small farm, too.

boundarybunnyco · #5 10/05/11, 09:57 PM

yes the daughter does need to help out. too bad she's a girly girl and won't get "dirty". however, she does pay her and her son's way 100 percent.

we hay a 6.5 acre field with the help of the neighbors. it's not a lot, but with their 25 acres, and our labor, we split both cuttings. saves us quite a bit of money. oh, and it's their equipment. retired couple that can't do a lot of physical stuff. we also swap labor on their farm for their help on ours, and for their knowledge. they've been so helpful. I'm seriously considering selling the horses, as I don't have time to ride anyway.

lonelyfarmgirl · #6 10/05/11, 10:35 PM

Hehehe welcome to farm life.

wait a minute, I re-read your post..you have a couple hours in the evening to watch tv?!?

Goat Servant · #7 10/05/11, 10:43 PM

Yeah my first thought is the daughter needs to help out a little more.

boundarybunnyco · #8 10/05/11, 10:45 PM

couple hours to watch tv...but I'm usually folding laundry or something else too. yeah, I know. I asked for it. usually if I watch tv or get online, its when I should be sleeping...ugh.

kenworth · #9 10/05/11, 11:03 PM

Welcome to homesteading. What else can be said?

gracie88 · #10 10/05/11, 11:04 PM

Do you need both salaries? If there's any way one of you can stay home, it could really reduce the pressure. You can save a lot of money with someone home full time, probably not an entire salary's worth but maybe enough. It might be worth sitting down and doing the math anyway. You are always going to be busy as long as you have a farm, but it should still be fun. If not, something's got to go.

Raven12 · #11 10/06/11, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwn1

good luck to you...nothing good comes easy. My wife and I have a small place and it is more work than we can keep up with....but i would not trade it for an easier city life. This is why we do what we do/

Amen to that, brother. I'm currently working my tail off to get to be that miserable! Ha ha!

Wendy · #12 10/06/11, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Do you need both salaries? If there's any way one of you can stay home, it could really reduce the pressure. You can save a lot of money with someone home full time, probably not an entire salary's worth but maybe enough. It might be worth sitting down and doing the math anyway. You are always going to be busy as long as you have a farm, but it should still be fun. If not, something's got to go.

I agree. Sounds like a lot to try to do with both of you working full time. What about a part-time job?

boundarybunnyco · #13 10/06/11, 12:56 AM

cant do the part time job until the place is paid for. hope to do that in the next 10 years...then stay home and enjoy my golden years. may do part time just for extras then. unless.... sell this place and buy a larger piece of land, for less money, and start over from the ground up, but have a smaller mortgage.

Whisperwindkat · #14 10/06/11, 05:29 AM

Sounds like normal life around here with the exception of evening downtime. Usually, that is when I am canning or cleaning up after the day. Yeah, definitely no time to be bored. Blessings, Kat

Tana Mc · #15 10/06/11, 07:49 AM

I have adult children still in the house, too. Rent is good but..... they have to pull their weight with chores. My SON cooks supper at least 2 times a week and helps to keep the dishes and laundry beaten back. He also will run errands for me and even has been known to pickup a few groceries for us all. He is not into farm life very much but still helps unload hay, feed or whatever else I need young muscles for.
When my daughter is home from college, she has her set of chores.

Otherwise, our lives sound remarkably similiar!

Tana Mc

lonelyfarmgirl · #16 10/06/11, 07:55 AM

On a reality not, it is that busy here, except no 2 year old. Just stick to the routine, thats all you can do, and make that girl do somemore work!

stamphappy · #17 10/06/11, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boundarybunnyco

yes the daughter does need to help out. too bad she's a girly girl and won't get "dirty".

Then SHE can do all the indoor chores, indoor maintenance, cooking, cleaning, laundry and baking, and everything else that comes with having an extra adult and toddler in the house!!!

olivehill · #18 10/06/11, 08:42 AM

Yep, sounds about right to me. Besides the adult daughter being a lazy leech, that part should change. Now.

geo in mi · #19 10/06/11, 09:17 AM

Well, there's that old saying: "Too much wine, women, and song going on here---gonna have to quit singing"

Seriously, who's telling you that you have to be feeding goats, cows, pigs, chickens, worms, and, and........? Yesterday, as I was walking out to the back, it hit me: "This is my place, I can do whatever I want to."

Regroup, my opinion.....

geo

SoINgirl · #20 10/06/11, 09:26 AM

Yes it is a very busy life. Maybe you could cut back on some of it. You said you might get rid of the horses. That would free up a little time and money and if you can't enjoy them then why have them. We do good to get the grass mowed let alone water it.lol Flower beds get taken care of if I find time, they are pretty to look at but are not at the top of the list of must dos. I don't know how many animals you have but maybe you could cut down on the numbers, like instead of having 15 goats to take care of cut it back to 6 or something if you can, same with the rest of the animals. Have your daughter cook and clean at least 2 or 3 times a week, everyone has to pitch in. Prioritize, keep what you need get rid of what you don't, then later on if you find more time add something back in. Good luck.