Hello Officer.

Here we are in our rental - one step away from my own personal heaven. I've spent hours and hours convincing Joe that this will be great for the boys, better values, small town feel - away from the lights and crime of the big citAY...and our car is broken into. Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice. After the officer (who seemed to be VERY inconvenienced) left, Joe just said, "well...he was in a great mood wasn't he?". UGH - the definition of hell is being one step away from your own personal heaven.

OK, We're here...now what?

I went to the Meadville Market House - Second Saturday event this last weekend and was greeted by what I believe to be a veritable cornicopia of Kindred Spirits. Alice is the Market Master and she had been kind enough to open the "store" for me early one day earlier in the week so I could buy some farm fresh eggs. I walked around in awe and amazement at all of the local produce, handmade crafts and pottery from local artisans. It was amazing. I introduced myself to her and let her know that I grew up here and had recently moved back to the area. We finally made the break, fled the rat race and were hoping to find a farm within the year.

She (who hears this type of thing daily I would think) asked what kind of farm and I told her that I hoped one day it would become an educational farm where we were dedicated to the preservation of heritage breeds. I let her know we were still working in other jobs - but...we had a dream. Her eyes lit up - she let me know I should come to Second Saturday, it was the last event of the season - and she would introduce me to some of my fellow "unconventional farmers". As I walked from booth to booth (links in my Links to Live By)- I talked to these business people that had never met me yet every one offered "anything they could do to help"... a strong pair of arms, mechanical assistance on broken down tractors, invitiations to come out to their farms anytime just to walk around and ask questions. It was amazing. And I don't even have a FARM YET!!!

Alice came up and handed me a bag of Organic Meyers Lemons from a friend of hers that had a farm here in NWstrnPA and moved to California where she has a lemon farm now. My eyes then lit up.

It should be less than a year before we find what we are looking for and are able to make the move. I have tickets for the upcoming Mother Earth News Fair in Seven Springs, PA at the end of this month where I may get to meet and ask Joel Salatin to actually sign one of the books that he's written. I'm thinking "You Can Farm" will be the one I take (since I've read seven of his books lol) - that is the one that really changed things for me.

Half of me can't believe we are here in PA. The other half of me can't believe we are here in PA. So close...yet so far.