I was reminded again this morning how brilliantly colored the world really 
is. The green and blue that met my eyes when I awoke were almost cartoonish. A welcome change from the dreary shades of gray. We’re supposed to get two days of sun. I’ll be busy weeding the gardens and doing all of the outdoor activities that I need to get done.
My friend, Rose, invited me to her house today to look at her flower gardens. Little Maiden went with me. Rose’s gardens are beautiful! I was truly inspired. I’d love to have flowers around the house. Even though there was no sun, the brightly colored flowers lit up the yard. Rose is giving a ladies ice cream social in her garden in a couple of weeks. I can’t wait to attend!
I recently read a book called “A Small Farm In Maine” by Terry Silber. This book was published in 1988 and, as the subtitle puts it, is about “how one couple built a self-sustaining life in the country.”
Terry and her husband, Mark, both worked and lived in Boston. On a whim, they decide to buy an abandoned farm in Maine near Terry’s parents. They fix up the farmhouse to make it inhabitable and visit every weekend to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city.
On discovering abandoned flower beds that still grew hardy perennials and learning about the history of their farm from the neighbors, Terry and Mark become curious about horticulture. They ask questions about plants and gardens of their farming neighbors and read every piece of literature on the subject as they can find. Eventually, with the help of friendly neighbors, they clear a piece of land on their farm and plant their first vegetable garden.
Even though Terry and Mark maintain their careers in the city, they become more and more interested in the lives of Maine farmers. For several years the couple continue their weekend trips to Maine, finding the work on the farm a perfect balance to their work in Boston.
After the first year of gardening, where they have more crop than they can consume, preserve, and give away, Terry and Mark decide to join the local farmers at the farmers’ markets. They are ecstatic to find that they can make money doing weekend farming! They then start planning how to garden more efficiently, and put their city talents to work by designing a layout that will make their vegetable display look more attractive and by trying to market their produce.
Being looked on by some as “hippies” and “rich city folk”, not all of the local farmers like the radical ideas that the Silbers come up with. The gap between the weekend farmers and the farmers that depend on their produce to support them through the long harsh winters can be larger than some would think.
Terry and Mark stick to their instinct and test new and unconventional methods. These include growing more exotic vegetables and herbs for sale, making and distributing pamphlets on how to use those foods, and growing without the use of pesticides. Growing strictly organically was virtually unheard of at the time and even considered risky. But the Silbers’ personal convictions guide ever decision they make.
While Terry and Mark become more involved on the farm they become less satisfied with their work in the city. Is it really possible to have a self-sustaining life on a farm in Maine? The Silbers put the question to the test, crunch the numbers, and then, with sheer determination, make the permanent move to Maine.
The story continues with their first Maine winter, the physical and financial struggles, how Terry and Mark turn their small farm into a viable business, and the ins and outs of working relationships.
As I read Terry’s account of these many years of her life, I felt that I was a witness to how their business evolved over that time. Starting as vegetable farmers, Terry and Mark finally settled their main business on growing everlastings, drying flowers and herbs, and selling decorative products made from the produce of the farm.
It was exciting to read about places so familiar to me like Lewiston, Auburn, Rumford, and Portland. I jumped on the web to see if I could locate their business. What fun to actually go visit a place that you’ve only just read about! Sadly, I found that the Silbers’ farm in Sumner closed just three years ago in 2006. Apparently, Terry Silber died of terminal cancer in 2003. For over three years Mark continued the business on his own, taking on all of Terry’s responsibilities while also fulfilling equally important duties outside of the farm. It just became too much for one person.
However, I feel as though I have gained tremendous knowledge and insight by reading “A Small Farm In Maine” and would recommend it to anyone who has a love for growing things!
The chicks are really liking their new space. They have plenty of room to run around and play games or chase bugs. They’ve also fallen into a daily routine.
Now that the chicks are outside, it has become more exciting to go see them. Every morning Young Master and Little Maiden beg to go with me to check on the chicks. The short walk from the front door to the coop is like a field trip. The kids race to see who can get there first. GH put locks on the tops of the doors to keep the chickens protected from irresponsible children and clever raccoons. So by the time I get to the coop Young Master and Little Maiden are jumping up and down with excitement!
By now, the chicks expect to see me around the same time every morning. They will lay in front of the door, peeking through the cracks to watch for me. They know that they’ll get more food when I arrive. 
The chicken coop is amazingly cozy. I never thought that the tool shed would bring such comfort to me. It really has become one of my favorite places to be. I find it relaxing to sit and watch the antics of my birds. It’s a place where I can come together with my kids and God’s creation in a sort of harmony that’s not forced or fake. It’s a place where my mind feels clearer and a place where memories are captured. Truth be told, even the sweet smell of chickens and pine shavings has a certain draw for me.
Call me weird, but I think I was born for this.
P.S. Two exciting things happened today! We harvested our first four radishes from the garden and Young Master lost a tooth!
I made it through the weekend! It was nice to visit with all of the family that I usually only see once or twice a year. We all got to see how each other’s kids have grown and get updated pictures. Unfortunately Little Maiden came home with a stomach bug. She’s resting on the couch now with a bucket at the ready…
My chicks also made it through the weekend! Willhi checked on them to make sure they were doing alright. She said they had filled their waterer completely with shavings so she cleaned that out. Otherwise, they did fine.
The gardens also came through okay. They weren’t withered or torn up. Something did dig in the spinach last night, though. I think I’m going to have to fence it all in.
The sun is out today and there isn’t a cloud in the sky. The breeze is very light and I’m guessing it’s in the 70’s. I put the chicken brooder outside on the porch so the chicks could enjoy the sun and fresh air. I put bird netting over the top to keep them in and the hawks out.
Well, no chicks today. Yesterday Little Maiden and I went to the LFS to get chicken mash. They had a large box just hopping with chicks. I asked about them but the chicks were Ameraucanas. I have four White Leghorns and four Rhode Island Reds coming. But the clerk said those chicks would come in Thursday or Friday. I bought 50# of mash and half a pound of red seed potatoes for my fifth SFG.
I was happily surprised today when I got home from work. My chicken run was up and the chicken door had been cut! GH and Little Maiden had been busy. They also had filled the fifth SFG so I planted my potatoes today!
I’ve finished filling the vegetable gardens today. In the four garden beds, we have pumpkins, squash, spinach, cucumbers, watermelon, tomatoes, radishes, yellow peppers, carrots, beans, onions, beets, leaf lettuce, head lettuce, corn, green peppers, and I’m out of room! After looking through some scrap lumber, we’ve found enough boards to make one more bed. I’m going to fill the whole thing with potatoes.
I finally got my lilies planted yesterday. I bought the bulbs almost 3 weeks ago at the Bangor Home Show. they’ve been sitting in my refrigerator ever since. GH dug up the sod in front of our house. I put down some peat and vermiculite (which I picked up yesterday) before planting the bulbs. Then I put down a layer of black mulch. I added some marigolds today and planted some mint in the corner.
I called the LFS today to find out when our chicks will arrive in. Looks like the 13th!! Wow! Only four more days. That’s about a week sooner than I expected!
Since buying our house set on a rural 1.59 acres, I’ve been frantic to start growing our own food. Even in our second story apartment, I attempted to grow carrots, tomatoes, and cucumbers on our fire escape landing. When I was a kid, my Grampy (who lived just across the road) instilled in me a love for nature and growing things.
My grandparents had a small farm on which they had a few horses, raspberry patches, an apple orchard, they harvested hay and had a beautiful garden. When it came to harvest time, all the family that still lived locally would come out to pick fresh veggies for their own families. That was how it was intended.
Looking back now, I have tremendous respect for my grandparents who spent the time, effort, and money to plant and care for a garden to continue to provide for their family long after the kids had left home and started families of their own. People in general aren’t like that any more. Our society would be so much better if we all looked out for our neighbors… not because we have to do it, but because we want to do it.
GH went to Lowes today to pick up some supplies this morning. He picked up chicken fencing and posts for the chicken run. I haven’t quite decided where I want the fencing attached. GH also brought home some pressure treated 8×2”x4’ planks for two more SFG frames, and two bales of peat moss for the mix. I picked up some compost a couple of weeks ago. We screwed together the frames and put them down on the fabric black mulch beside last year’s frames. We filled them with the compost and peat moss. Now we have double the gardens we had last year. I still need to get some vermiculite. I have to pick it up at our local nursery. I’ll get some seedlings at the same time. We don’t usually put in our gardens until Memorial Day weekend, but with all this warm weather, I think I may put it in early.
4×50’ green chicken fence $26.80
6 5’ fence posts $3.93 ea. =$23.58
Today was absolutely perfect! The temp was up in the mid 50’s, the sun was shining and the sky was blue. We’ve had some pretty harsh winds for a few days but it’s dried up a lot of the water that was lying around.
I finally had the opportunity to do some yard work. Little Maiden helped me rake the leaves from around the gardens. I cleaned up the leftovers from last year’s garden, pulled a few weeds (extremely few thanks to SFG!) and turned over the soil. That loose black soil felt so good in my fingers and smelled so fresh! I can’t wait to start planting. It still goes below freezing at night so I guess I’ll have to wait. Most planting in Maine doesn’t start until Memorial Day. ~sigh~ However, the rhubarb is already coming up!!
