Dreaming BIG Dreams!

A lot has happened since my last blog post so first I will fill you in. Also, if you'd like to stay up to date on all our happenings please follow us on our YouTube channel, just search NovaJames Homegrown, and please be sure to subscribe.  If you take a look at our YouTube channel you'll see that we did not end up using the small chicken coop I bought at Tractor Supply like I said in my last post. We ended up buying six ducks and ten chickens from Tractor Supply and decided to build something that could fit at least 30 chickens since we'd like to be able to sell our chicken eggs and hopefully at least help us pay for their feed! We have also been working on a lot of house projects, we built our dining room table, created a mud room, built a wall in our outbuilding creating a small gym space. On the farm projects include the purchase of a commercial grade lawn mower, building a walk in cooler, building a staircase that leads to our garage attic space where we installed insulation and are preparing the space to be my seed starting space and garden storage area. We have videos of almost all of this if you'd like to learn more.

As for future projects, we are still working on the seed room and walk in cooler. We've also realized that the commercial lawnmower is just not enough for all the other work we need to do around the farm so we are planning to purchase a tractor!!! So crazy, sometimes I have to pinch myself when I think about the life we are living right now! It is so stressful, intimidating and scary but also everything I've always wanted! Once we have the tractor, we have a lot of ground to move! This winter has shown us just how much water our property holds! We have a lot of work ahead of us grading our property and setting up proper drainage. We also plan to put in a second driveway that will go to the back of our property for trucks, tractors, and trailers. We will certainly need this since we are going to need a ton of quality dirt brought in because of our thick clay soil. As we move our dirt we plan to expand our home garden area and prepare our flower farm beds starting with a 3,500 square foot plot. Once the dirt is set and we know exactly where our beds will go, we have to install irrigation lines for supplying water to our chicken coop, our garden and for the flower farm. Then we need to build garden beds, install our landscape fabric and plant out our seedlings. Oh I forgot to mention the fact that, while all of this happening I will also be starting seeds and caring for them round the clock! Exhausted yet? HAHA! This is why I do not sleep! I can not stop thinking about everything we have to do!

In the mean time I am also working on my flower knowledge. I am currently taking Floret's online course which has been incredibly helpful and stressful teaching me all the things I should be thinking about and doing. I have also been checking out books from my local library and filling my knowledge gaps as much as possible. You know this one woman show is not going to work down the line and I know I will eventually need to hire some help on the farm! The thought of having employees is another scary aspect of business because that means I not only have to make money for my family but I have to be successful enough to support those who chose to work for me one day. I could never let them down so I am determined to learn my business, grow slowly and know every aspect of my business so I am capable of training my employees and can be successful at this whole flower thing.

Thank you for reading, I hope all our projects don't scare you away from continuing to follow us haha! Wish us luck and God Bless!