Welcome to Barnabas Farm! We're excited that you've found us and are taking the time to check out our new website & read the ramblings of our blog!
While we've dabbled with various farm animals and raised much of our own food for nearly 20 years, 2013 will celebrate our 11th year on this farmland. Barnabas Farm is located near Big Rapids, MI on 40 acres of picturesque land (in fact, our Tante Elsa has long called it "Storybook Farm").
This farm dates back to the 1860's, and we can almost feel it's history. Legend and historical accounts claim that we have a civil war era grave site here in one of the pastures, but we believe it was lost to excavating work done long before we arrived. I often stand and imagine the families who came before us, especially those listed on the census records of the late 1800's.
The big, red barn is what first sold me on the place years ago... although Berny had already made an offer on the place before I got to see it (long story involving a very uncomfortable summer in a back brace.. I'll explain another time). While the realtor went with the assumption that I would care most about the huge farmhouse and its kitchen, I was just itching to get to the barn! It is a definite carrier of history - evidence of many different uses, and the incredible art of its construction. Huge, hand cut log beams hold the floor of the haybarn in place, but lower level testifies that shorter folks than Berny and I put in the cement floor, leaving us to duck and rise in between the logs. I must admit that I'm not thinking 'glorious history' every time I clunk my noggin on one of those beams! We've gradually put our own fingerprints of use and remodel here and there.
My favorite place to stand = the open back window of that haybarn on a breezy, warm day. From there, one can look over nearly the entire 40..or at least a good 3/4..with its various pastures. The hayfield up top serves as early winter pasture when the danger of hooves destroying our hay in mud is past. The apple ridge pasture provides a south-facing shelter land and gives us a glorious display of apple blossoms every spring. The back pasture earns status as the 'bread basket' of the place. Low, good ground which never seems to go completely dry in the summer, provides us with lush enough pastures that I get mocked by my horse friends for the obesity of our horses. Since we've begun managed grazing, the cows have won access to this pasture and the equines have been demoted to: The back pond pasture - a creek meanders through this wooded area between the front and back ponds. If the horses are in the right area, I can watch them from the kitchen windows as they graze among the trees. The Pond pasture often serves as our show piece... a smaller, rolling beauty visible from the entire south side of the house. The grasses struggle to keep up, as it's our preferred place for mares to foal and geriatric horses to receive some respite from the herd. I do mutter when it's given over to the cows, but sometimes Berny wins. On the other side of the house, the Front pasture stands mocking us with its possibilities. Currently it is home to the steers and the impressive Scottish Belted Galloway bull, "Geers Farms George." For years we've discussed its other options: pumpkin field, strawberry producer, apple orchard. I'm sure that when we finally make a decision, we'll let you in on it here. For now, the pasture's next-door neighbor is another creek (or 'crick,' as I've always called it... and I'm always right, or so I keep telling Berny) and our garden. The garden took its position as part of the pig pasture this fall, and the hope is that they've tilled it nicely for our coming season. I'm curious to see if they've helped us get rid of some of the insect pests trying to overwinter in our soil. I'm still lobbying for a rotating laying hen pen on the gardens, but the discussion hasn't landed on a decision just yet.
And on to the house. It's an expansive place compared to the cute little house we left years ago. We've managed to make it look a bit more worn and well-loved than it was, but it has faithfully sheltered all 11 of us for these years. Perhaps eventually I'll domesticate and start caring more about its decor, but that's not likely to happen until my children are grown and moving on and I care more about the appearance of the house than the sweet, comforting smell of a clean barn stall. Until then, Better Homes and Gardens will have to look elsewhere for their cover photos.
We know we're blessed... maybe not with money, but with good friends, a Faithful God, beautiful land, and an amazing family. We look forward to as many more years here as the Lord gives.
While we're here, we want to farm the right way... the older way, if you will - before the use of chemical sprays and poisons. We strive to be the place to feed our neighborhood and town with things grown well.
Barnabas Farm is small ~ each of our animals has a name (with the exception of meat birds.. can you imagine keeping straight the names of 50 identical white chickens!?) and is raised carefully.
Farming this way is a family project with worthy goals:
1) Supply healthful foods for our own family, and good, honest work for our children.
2) Present surplus healthful foods for sale at a reasonable price to other families and individuals who are concerned about the source of their food.
I hope you've enjoyed (or at least tolerated well) your first tour! We look forward to touching base regularly...
While we've dabbled with various farm animals and raised much of our own food for nearly 20 years, 2013 will celebrate our 11th year on this farmland. Barnabas Farm is located near Big Rapids, MI on 40 acres of picturesque land (in fact, our Tante Elsa has long called it "Storybook Farm").
This farm dates back to the 1860's, and we can almost feel it's history. Legend and historical accounts claim that we have a civil war era grave site here in one of the pastures, but we believe it was lost to excavating work done long before we arrived. I often stand and imagine the families who came before us, especially those listed on the census records of the late 1800's.
The big, red barn is what first sold me on the place years ago... although Berny had already made an offer on the place before I got to see it (long story involving a very uncomfortable summer in a back brace.. I'll explain another time). While the realtor went with the assumption that I would care most about the huge farmhouse and its kitchen, I was just itching to get to the barn! It is a definite carrier of history - evidence of many different uses, and the incredible art of its construction. Huge, hand cut log beams hold the floor of the haybarn in place, but lower level testifies that shorter folks than Berny and I put in the cement floor, leaving us to duck and rise in between the logs. I must admit that I'm not thinking 'glorious history' every time I clunk my noggin on one of those beams! We've gradually put our own fingerprints of use and remodel here and there.
My favorite place to stand = the open back window of that haybarn on a breezy, warm day. From there, one can look over nearly the entire 40..or at least a good 3/4..with its various pastures. The hayfield up top serves as early winter pasture when the danger of hooves destroying our hay in mud is past. The apple ridge pasture provides a south-facing shelter land and gives us a glorious display of apple blossoms every spring. The back pasture earns status as the 'bread basket' of the place. Low, good ground which never seems to go completely dry in the summer, provides us with lush enough pastures that I get mocked by my horse friends for the obesity of our horses. Since we've begun managed grazing, the cows have won access to this pasture and the equines have been demoted to: The back pond pasture - a creek meanders through this wooded area between the front and back ponds. If the horses are in the right area, I can watch them from the kitchen windows as they graze among the trees. The Pond pasture often serves as our show piece... a smaller, rolling beauty visible from the entire south side of the house. The grasses struggle to keep up, as it's our preferred place for mares to foal and geriatric horses to receive some respite from the herd. I do mutter when it's given over to the cows, but sometimes Berny wins. On the other side of the house, the Front pasture stands mocking us with its possibilities. Currently it is home to the steers and the impressive Scottish Belted Galloway bull, "Geers Farms George." For years we've discussed its other options: pumpkin field, strawberry producer, apple orchard. I'm sure that when we finally make a decision, we'll let you in on it here. For now, the pasture's next-door neighbor is another creek (or 'crick,' as I've always called it... and I'm always right, or so I keep telling Berny) and our garden. The garden took its position as part of the pig pasture this fall, and the hope is that they've tilled it nicely for our coming season. I'm curious to see if they've helped us get rid of some of the insect pests trying to overwinter in our soil. I'm still lobbying for a rotating laying hen pen on the gardens, but the discussion hasn't landed on a decision just yet.
And on to the house. It's an expansive place compared to the cute little house we left years ago. We've managed to make it look a bit more worn and well-loved than it was, but it has faithfully sheltered all 11 of us for these years. Perhaps eventually I'll domesticate and start caring more about its decor, but that's not likely to happen until my children are grown and moving on and I care more about the appearance of the house than the sweet, comforting smell of a clean barn stall. Until then, Better Homes and Gardens will have to look elsewhere for their cover photos.
We know we're blessed... maybe not with money, but with good friends, a Faithful God, beautiful land, and an amazing family. We look forward to as many more years here as the Lord gives.
While we're here, we want to farm the right way... the older way, if you will - before the use of chemical sprays and poisons. We strive to be the place to feed our neighborhood and town with things grown well.
Barnabas Farm is small ~ each of our animals has a name (with the exception of meat birds.. can you imagine keeping straight the names of 50 identical white chickens!?) and is raised carefully.
Farming this way is a family project with worthy goals:
1) Supply healthful foods for our own family, and good, honest work for our children.
2) Present surplus healthful foods for sale at a reasonable price to other families and individuals who are concerned about the source of their food.
I hope you've enjoyed (or at least tolerated well) your first tour! We look forward to touching base regularly...