It's funny. As a young adult I couldn't wait to escape the mundane life of a small town. First chance I had I packed up my little Cutlass and headed to the big city. 24 years have passed, and I find myself longing for a simpler life. Especially with how the world is right now.
Last fall, on a trip to visit my parents, my dad asked us what he should do with my grandparents homestead. In all honesty, as I looked around at the run-down buildings all I could think about was how much "work" it would be to bring it all to life again. It was my husband that suggested we restore it to its glory days. That made my dad SMILE, and of course that was all that needed to happen. Anything to make my dad happy. So... here we are now 2 trips and 7 days into our beloved farm project, our family's century farm.
The first few days were all about cleaning the house up after the last renters that had not one little ounce of housekeeping skills. Thank God I have an army with me to tackle the filth and the patching, and the painting, and the repairs. I would not have even considered taking on this project if it wasn't for my husband and children's support.
Yet, it's become more than a project. It's become a time to be with each other, to toil and laugh together. We've had intimate conversations about the past and exciting conversations about the future. I've learned of my grandparents journey that brought them to this land in the early 1930's. My grandfather was a construction worker in the twin cities, living in his construction trailer until he met my grandmother. He sold his business, moved to the western prairie and settled the land. He built this home with his two hands, for his family, during the Great Depression. My father was born in the house in 1936.
It's remembering and honoring what the word "work" really meant for them, during a time of uncertainty.
We are a family of dreamers, that come from a family of dreamers and we have so many new dreams for our farm. We're excited to share this journey with you. Stay Tuned. #centennialmillennialfarms