Summer is here and many will begin retreating from the city in search of nature and the idea of peaceful living. Some of us have made the rural lifestyle a full-time affair here in Connecticut while others of us just dream about it (okay, or have nightmares about it). But seriously, how do some of these working parents end up with chickens and sheep living on their property? Well, we've got the inside scoop. Watch out, it just might inspire you to add a chicken or two to the family.
Karen and Elliott Davis live in Washington, CT with their lovely young son and daughter. Step by step they have created New Leaf Farm right outside their back door.
1) What were you before becoming interested in having a mini-farm on your property and what inspired you to do so?
Both of us work at full time jobs; however, it has been a life long passion to connect more with our land and with our food, which inspired us to find our "inner farmers".
2) What is living and growing on your land right now?
Two years ago, we started with an assortment of 25 heritage chickens that we are raising organically, we then established a flock of Icelandic sheep; this year we started making maple syrup from our own trees and have also started raising honeybees and will plant 50 organic old-world cider apple trees.
3) Are the kids into it and do they help out with the care-taking?
Our kids have enthusiastically taken to these projects- from caring for the animals which encompass many chores, to the marketing of the products, They are learning the value of hard work and making their own money. Their responsibilities include gathering and delivering the eggs, feeding the sheep, boiling and bottling syrup etc and having to discuss the benefits of our products and making change with customers.
