Fixer Upper Farmhouse and Farm

Hi there!

I can’t believe it’s almost been three years at our fixer upper farmhouse and farm! And it’s been a very full and emotional past few days here so let’s chat about it. If you follow along on social media you saw the Kune Kune piglet we brought home ran away. I had waited months to welcome this little gal to our farm after spending a very very long time talking about what is next here for us. Needless to say we are heartbroken. We’ve searched and searched and done all the things we could think of or that was recommended to us to do to find her or get her to wander back home.

Of course I’ve beat myself up about it thinking of all the things I should have done differently. I don’t take bringing in a new animal lightly. Now that I’ve had some time to process it I can also say that unfortunately sometimes things just happen. This is a part of raising animals that sucks. I think we’ve been very lucky thus far. Well lucky, and I hope it’s fairly obvious how much I love our farm babies and do my best to care for them well. We’re still hopeful she’ll find her way back to us, but this experience has also made me pause and reevaluate what we’re doing here. What are our goals with this property as we roll into the THIRD year of living here?

Fixer Upper Farmhouse and Farm

Farmhouse or Farm? Me: Yes!

I’m a multi-passionate person. I LOVE interior design, styling, and old houses with all my heart! I’ve also always dreamed of having a small farm with animals for as long as I can remember. I don’t think I have to choose, but it’s a difficult thing to balance.

Fixer Upper Farmhouse and Farm

Reclaimed Flooring!

Fixer Upper Farmhouse and Farm

Fixer Upper Farmhouse and Farm

Kitchen Cabinet Doors

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Farmhouse Plans

We still have a long way to go with this old farmhouse. We’re also on the brink of making some major progress on the interior! Next week I’ll be sharing the room we completed, which is currently our living room, but will eventually be the dining room. I’ll also be painting the kitchen this weekend to get it ready for reno part two. We’ll be laying reclaimed flooring and installing that big old gorgeous cabinet! This also means we can finally FINALLY set the newel post and the staircase will be finished lol! Oh and you’re going to die when you see our sink and faucet!! Eeek!

Read about part one of our kitchen renovation HERE!

Check out the antique kitchen cabinet HERE!

After this we plan on moving straight into the back room, lovingly referred to as the cave or weird  room with no windows lol! It was once a screened in porch that the previous owners walled in without a single window. We plan on gutting it, laying reclaimed floors, and adding french doors and several windows to create a sunroom or informal family room. We bought a wood stove for the room last year and would love to be able to use it this winter. Once these three rooms are complete we’ll only have the bathroom, sitting room, and mudroom to go on the main floor, and one more room upstairs! I’m excited for all of them!!

Fixer Upper Farmhouse and Farm

Our keeper lamb this year, Rosalie

Fixer Upper Farmhouse and Farm

Fixer Upper Farmhouse and Farm

Fixer Upper Farmhouse and Farm

 Farm Life

Then there’s the farm side of things. This year was our first official lambing season and it was a wonderful experience! Getting to watch those babies come into the world is something I’ll cherish forever. Making sure they get the best possible start to life is so important to me. Two lambs left our farm this year and, although I cried, I couldn’t have asked for better homes for them. I want to continue to develop my husbandry skills as a shepherd and make improvements to our setup and flock management. It’s already almost time for my girls to go back in with their boyfriend! Babydoll breeding season is signaled as the days get shorter and the temps start dropping.

You can read more about our sheep HERE!

All the out buildings and barns all need some attention like paint and gutters. And the coop still needs windows and a roof. We’re also planning on putting up more fencing. Fencing around the garden, the house, and then several paddocks for the animals. The animals themselves require a lot of time, and let’s be honest all of this costs money. Currently a lot of money. This is another part of the balance. The more I do outside the less I can do inside and visa versa. There are only so many hours in the day haha!

Remember when you were a kid and would play outside all day or swim all day and then just crash happy, content? Lots of days feel like that for me 🙂

Goals

My days would be full if I only had the house to work on OR the farm life aspect so I think it’s important to reassess my personal goals and goals for this place so I can stay focused and reach them. Right now my gut is telling me to stay focused on the house. Will we get another pig? Yes, eventually when the time is right. Will we get other animals? Absolutely! Lots! Lol! But I think the next couple of months will be about making some serious progress on this old farmhouse 😉 As a longer term goal we’ve also been discussing ways to share our farm in person as we develop the homestead aspect of this life. Stay tuned!

Fixer Upper Farmhouse and Farm

Fixer Upper Farmhouse and Farm

If you’re interested in any aspect of this lifestyle I hope to inspire you in some way. It takes time, patience, grit, and passion, but you’re capable and I promise you can do more than you give yourself credit for! Always let me know if you have any questions about anything! I truly believe the best is yet to come and it’s going to be an amazing year on the farm!

Follow along on Instagram for daily updates too! @midcounty_journal

Much love and thanks for stopping by the blog today!

 

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