Welcome to Moss on Earth Farm!

In the garden everything is frozen solid right now, except the chickens in their tractors, who are laying a total of about 10 eggs a day, which is amazing. I hike out to the orchard twice a day with my tea kettle full of hot water to defrost their blocks of ice for drinking. They are still getting a sunflower seed-head once a week as a treat (leftover from August).

We still have apples in cold storage, although they are looking less and less like apples. I use these as goat treats, although we still use them for an occasional cobbler. We have lots of frozen cider and jars of apple sauce and apple jelly, and plum sauce. The freezer is well-stocked with stuff we grew, which is a good feeling! Pumpkin puree, shredded zucchini, peas, turnip puree, blackberries, grape juice, frozen packets of chard and basil and cilantro. There are beets and kale out in the field, and amazingly, there is lettuce in the greenhouse.

The wee one is having a good time boot-skating on the pond, and recovering from the craziness of the winter play with the craziness of family holidays. Gifts and sweets, oh my!

The almost-grown-up is working retail this season in the Big Town across the water, and came home for the holidays, for which we were grateful. Don, who has left the forge and farm to work on the mainland, also came home for the holidays, for which we are also grateful. He has been coming home fairly regularly for an overnight on the weekends to get his fix of family and farm for the week. Running the farm is a Two-able-bodied Adults position, so we have definitely been feeling his absence, even though we are simultaneously feeling blessed that he is doing what we feel is important.

I'm managing the everyday affairs of being off-grid on a remote island and single parenting. Every day I put wood on the back porch, and I spend a good portion of the day and night stocking the fire, and trying to keep everyone (goats, chickens, dogs, neighbors, family) from being hungry, thirsty, or too cold. Some days I feel like a marginally successful superhero. Other days... not so heroic and not so successful.

There are many things to be thankful for this season, more than can be listed here. We hope the new year brings a bounty of goodness for you all. Wishing you all Happy Holidays and a Splendid New Year,