Snapshot of the Homestead (by the Mr.)

When we came here, the land was barren. All dirt and sticks and debris. So warm and infertile not even the weeds would grow. Over the last two years we have slowly brought things back. It turned out to be simple, just open your eyes. As we started developing a plan for what would be the ideal environment for us all (humans, nature, wildlife), it just began to show itself to me without thought. I followed this gut instinct and in such a short time, the land lives again.

The birds were the first to come, we live in a spot where we catch some of the coolest migratory birds, but there are amazing flying creatures all around us – all the time. When she wanted to feed the birds outside of our own flock, I thought she was crazy. I’d love to show you our bird food bill. But she was right. They came. They started digging at the ground for seed. They started bringing in seed. They blended with our chickens in the most positive ways.

My personal favorite is a tossup between the hummingbirds (year round) or the ravens. I know right, small and big. The hummingbirds are so beautiful and terrifying at the same time with that buzz (no other animal can get away with sounding like that), that long needle beak (no other flying thing could get away with that), and the delightful forked tongue (forked tongues are usually bad), but put them together in a small glow in the sun package and there are no words.

The ravens on the other hand are dark. Big dark birds; but loyal. They set up a nest right behind the chicken coop but it serves to be a beautiful symbiotic relationship between us all. If there is a hawk or eagle looking to eat one of the many above-mentioned birds; I’ll do a special whistle and the ravens charge. They’ll chase the predator away, so far successfully every single time. This serves as my own personal predator air force, and I serve as their early warning system for the entire homestead and its critters. They don’t want the eagles near their young and they are vicious protectors. They have adopted this land and patrol constantly, never hurting a smaller bird than them.

But I digress – I’m sorry.  I was driving to the homestead today up our long driveway and thought to myself “I need to be careful of our deer guests, I don’t want to spook the little one.” Then I suddenly realized, for the first time, I’m the guest. I may have spent my “human dollars” to “acquire” it, but this is their land. Always has been and it always will be. I will humbly, proudly and happily shepard it with them while I exist.