How Do I Think I've Changed?

"How do you think you've changed most since switching to farm life?"

This was asked of me on a previous post.  As sit here I'm trying to figure it out.  It's not an easy question to answer.

Before I start anything I want to remind you that when we moved out to the farm I was 16, now I'm at the ripe old age of 24.  So, it's hard for me to say "I've changed here, here, and here because we are now living a farm life.".  I have a hard time saying that some of these changes come from being in the country vs. these changes coming from my being eight years older.

Its really not easy for me to see how I've changed, I'm sure that my parents, older sisters, And some close friends could point out the places that I've changed, but I'm having a hard time to pinpoint where I have changed.  The biggest way that comes to mind is how I look at food and the processes it takes to get to my plate.

When I was 16 I never thought about how my food got from a living in a cage or on a farm to my plate.  I was just happy to have it on my plate or to be able to cook a meal with it.  Now, I pay attention to where my food comes from, how was it raised, what did it eat, etc.  These things come into mind when I shop for food & how I cook the items I am given to cook with. 

Not only do I look at my food different but I've been able to raise or make a lot of foods that I never thought I'd be able to make. I can plant, grow, and harvest a garden.  Now I did do this a little bit when we lived in Houston.  But never as big as the one I did out here.  Also I've learned to not just go to the store and buy what ever veggie plants they have on hand. I plan the garden with what I know we will eat, what will grow in my part of Texas and what I can handle growing.  (Small note, that while I can do the garden I don't any more, that pleasure is all given to Linnea now that I'm busy making cheese.)

I can raise a chick from chick hood to an age where it is either able to be butchered or starts laying.  I can then either butcher out the chicken or continue to feed to the chicken and get eggs from said chicken.  Now, I will tell you that I am not keen on chickens and I tip my hat to those people that raise them so I can have eggs and chicken.  Now, while I was one to help with the first (and second) batch of chickens here on Swede Farm I am not the a chicken farmer and leave that honor to Emma.

Lastly (for now at least) I can deliver goats.  Oh, sure my mom was a midwife I had seen a number of my sisters born before I moved out to the farm and I had considered being my mom's assistant, but I never though I would deliver goats!!  Now I have and when I look at our animals I can normally say "I remember when you were born" or "Don't you EVER give me a kidding like you did this last year around!"  But then my favorite is "You can repeat this year's kidding if you want!".  lol

Then I can take these babies that I helped deliver and help raise them to an age where we milk them twice a day everyday & then turn around and make that milk into a product I can sell.  Either a pasteurized milk that can be sold at market or yogurt, cheese, flavored milk, cajeta, etc.  And enjoy ever minute of it.

Lastly (not food related) I help to keep my family clean by making soap with our goat's milk.  Not only something I enjoy, but something that brings me a little money and that I can do while still staying home and helping the family.  :-D