[Ag-eq] My husband wants to Farm

[Susan Roe]

Hi doris,

I am so sorry I have not replied before now!

My name is susan and my husband, Matt, and I have a farm in Hanover County, 
Virginia.  This farm is my family farm and we are striving to bring it back 
to the level when my grandparents started in the early 1900's.

I have been totally blind for nearly 32 years and my husband is sighted and 
works nights at Richmond international Airport, ExpressJet, as a maintenance 
supervisor.

Right now, I have 3 flocks of chickens and they supply brown eggs for my 
small egg business.  We put in a 20 tree fruit orchard last fall.  We have a 
section for vegetables that we harvest for select customers and another we 
use as an experimental garden.  This garden we try out new plants and seeds, 
and different techniques to see if they would not only be a viable addition 
to the larger garden, but to see what method works in a smaller scale before 
taking the time and effert on a larger scale.  We have a bit more gardening 
wise, herbs, flowers and a cutting garden, but the majority of that is still 
on paper or very limited.

We've been trying to finish up the barn in order to try our hand at two 
dairy goats and some sheep for wool, but my motto has been and willl always 
be, barns and fencing first, then the animals, one breed at a time.

There is no formal training that I know specifically designed for the blind 
that I know of, however, Perkins School for the blind does have horticulture 
in their cariculum.  I will look that link up and post it.  Also, there is a 
site called local harvest that you can set up for your specific location and 
they will send you events and other information pertaining to local harvests 
and such right where you are.

Since your husband has already a background in gardening, he is more than 
halfway there!

What does he see as a problem ingardening that he is dealing with right now? 
Let's start there.  Please feel free to post here or directly to me at my 
e-mail address below.  I know there are others here who would be interested 
in his progress as we go along.

Sincerely excited to help!
Susan
dogwoodfarm at verizon.net
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Doris" <megpiesmom at hughes.net>
To: <regenerative at earthlink.net>
Sent: Friday, June 12, 2009 4:55 PM
Subject: [Ag-eq] My husband wants to Farm


>
> Hi all!
> I received the following note from Doris.  I jotted a quick reply to  her, 
> but don't have time to focus more time and energy right now.
>
> If y'all have responses, be sure to send it to Doris, and CC the  list, so 
> we can all collaborate.
>
> Fred
>
> ---  ---  doris wrote:
>
> Hi,
> My husband is not far from being completely blind. He has RP and MD.
> For years he has enjoyed raising our own food (meat, garden etc).   But 
> ever since the year before last when he lost quite a bit more he  has had 
> to give up his tractor. He ended up selling most all of his  equipment he 
> used to keep this place going. He hasn't really done  anything except take 
> care of our chickens. We did not put a garden  for 2 years now.
> Well now he has decided to go back to raising our own food and so he  has 
> been looking for some guidance. I found your website and hoped  you could 
> help.  He wants to buy a cow and pig and start all over  aqain.  This is 
> what he loves to do and I would really hate for him  to get hurt over 
> something minor which is usually his head. He is 6  ft 4 in tall so 
> everything always seem to be in his way.
> Be self sufficient is his goal. So is there any training that he  could 
> attend or anyone who has the experience and doesn't mid  sharing.
> I thank you in advance or all of your help..
>  Doris
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