As I shared in my last post, “The Accidental Homesteader,” homesteading wasn’t in my plans for 2018. Yet, here I am just weeks away from closing on a 17 acre mini-farm and accepting delivery of 8 ducks, countless chickens, a livestock farm dog, and who knows what else falls into Leah’s shopping cart between now and then.
Oh, and possible bees too.
The bees *may* be my fault but it really depends on who you blame what on.
No, probably NOT my fault.
You can blame me for any donkeys or mini horses we get from now until then but probably nothing else.
The rest of the menagerie can be blamed on Leah, including the bees.
Leah announced to me a few weeks ago that we should probably get bees or at least learn more about beekeeping if we wanted to be proper homesteaders. Also, people love honey so we could sell it at our farm stand and get a tax exemption too.
“Oh, and hey, there’s a beekeeping class coming up. Can you go to it? You like learning stuff.”
Um, what?
“Babe, why don’t you go?”
“Because I’m probably allergic to bees. It makes more sense for you to go.”
*sigh*
So not being an enthusiastic participant, I went to the class on a Saturday.
Oh man, I really, really wanted that day off too! I had just gotten over the flu and work had been insane. I just wanted to sleep and eat.
But alas, duty calls.
The excitement in the room was palpable. People were elbowing each other and pointing at different beekeeping devices throughout the room. They spoke in hushed voices, eagerly awaiting the presentation.
I felt like a total jerk.
All I wanted to do was leave.
So I sat in the far back corner, closest to the door, “just in case.” I flipped through the handouts and waited for the presentation to begin. I dreaded being stuck in this tiny room with 30 people for the next 3 hours.
But Leah was right. I do like to learn.
So I sucked up the information like a sponge. And I began dreaming of my own backyard honey.
By the time I left the class, I was sold on the idea and ready to make the leap.
Leah, less enthusiastic for many reasons that I found ridiculous, had decided our money was better spent on goats.
Wait, what?
Goats?
GOATS?
#$@#%#@%#$@%#%@
