New Digs

Clare Schaecher

Monday, February 23, 2009 at 8:22 PM

Success! A new farm has been achieved! Mike and I will be in Woodstock, Illinois for the 2009 farming season where we’ll be renting a house with a couple of acres. We feel very fortunate to have found this particular situation – living on the farm will be wonderful, the land has been well-cared for, and we’re looking forward to working with our new landlord. Thank you to everyone who has sent good thoughts our way – we hope you’ll come visit us in Woodstock.
We’ve been wrapping up our final weeks in Chicago. If you’ve ever wondered what farmers do when they can’t afford to take the winter off, here’s an example. Mike and I moved back to Chicago in November. Mike has been working as a programmer at Crate & Barrel in Northbrook, a job he had before he began farming, and where they’re nice enough to take him back every winter. I managed to cobble together winter employment – first working as seasonal help at a Crate & Barrel store (we’re a one-company kind of family), and then helping out in the Botany collections at the Field Museum, as well as working with a non-profit that helps high school students apply for financial aid. Phew! So it’s been a busy, busy winter.

We are weeks away from the start of the new season. I’ve been holding my breath for spring. Everyday I watch the light in the sky last just a little bit long and feel the air for the hint of warmth that wasn’t there just a few weeks ago. It’s nice that spring comes so early for farmers. We’ll be breaking earth as soon as the earth thaws and dries out a bit – in about a month!