It might be helpful to have our 2010 goals laid out on the blog.
2010 is going to be our year of education and continuation of infrastructure improvement.
Here is the high level goals:
Education:
Farm - Attend MOSES Conference
Farm - Attend CRAFT workshops (the 2010 schedule hasn't been set yet)
Farm - Attend workshops at Michael Fields Agricultural Institute
Farm - Spend several days during the season working on our new farm mentor's farm
Infrastructure
Farm - Stabilize barn
Farm - Demo house interior down to studs
Farm - Work with an NRCS official to set conservation plan
Farm - Stabilize waterway area to control erosion
Farm - map different pasture areas, name them and have soil tests performed
Church - Complete prairie planting in the yard
Home Building - Drywall interior back stairway
Home Building - Turn 4th floor studio/office into a small apartment for Chicago weekend stays once we move - involves turning a utility sink area into a small kitchen and installing a shower
Other building - finish 2nd floor gut rehab (target date is 3/31/10) and painting of common areas in hopes of renting for 5/1
Other building - 3rd floor fix ups: new kitchen cabinets & counters, new sink, relocate water heater to basement and replumb up to 3rd floor. Remodel bath and add a shower. (The tenant that has lived there for 38 years has never had a shower in the apartment. He is pretty excited when Bill mentioned installing a shower - as you can imagine!)
Other - continue to clean out closets and storage areas in preparation for 2011 relocation to Wisc.
I think the key will be to just pick an area and plug away at it. The highest priority is the apartment at the other building, as we would clearly like to have the rental income again from it.
Wish us luck!
A journal of our adventures in construction, garlic farming and growing our own food as we transition from life in Chicago to life in Southwestern Wisconsin.
5 comments:
What a great plan! We should also be doing that. Seems like the business is running our lives though right now. Not sure about next weekend yet. We'll see if Steve can get caught up enough after his vacation to go to the farm. I'll let you know if we are going to make it to MOSES. Hope so. Would enjoy meeting you & Bill.
Hi Angie,
I just went to the Craft website. Mark Shepards pic is on the page (with the hogs). He is who we buy hazelnut & apple trees from. If you get the chance to tout his farm, do it. He is recovering from brain surgery right nopw though. I hope he can get back to the farm soon.
Hi Barb,
I remember reading on your blog that you got your trees from him. We really want to visit his farm. Permaculture is high on our list also (even though I didn't list it). He has quite a reputation in the permaculture world - as I am sure you know.
Let me know about MOSES - if you don't go, any chance you are coming downtown Chgo for FamilyFarmed Expo?
I understand about the business running lives... seems to be our story too. But it's fun, right? (ha. at least that is what I keep telling myself.)
I'll talk to Steve about the Family Farmed Expo. We decided to sit down & make our goal list after I get back from visiting my daughter. Thanks for the inspiration!
Hi Barb,
Farm class encouraged us to identify our goals for the next 10 years. I have never in my life done that! It was a bit frightening, yet really grounding. The 10 year goals are a bit fuzzy; but those in year 1 through 6 are quite concrete (at least on paper). Very helpful thing to do.
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