This Year’s Garden Looks a Little Different

This year’s garden is already looking a little different.

Last year, I was growing herbs and a few veggies in containers on my deck. It was something I enjoyed, but it was still very much a city garden.

This year feels different — this year, my garden is out at Chris’s place.

There are actual garden beds. More space. More planning. More dirt under my fingernails.

A Bigger Garden

We started with figuring out where everything would go. There was dirt to move, plants to organize, and a lot more space to fill than I was used to working with.

We didn’t have a fancy setup for starting seeds.

So we used what we had — milk jugs, cut open and turned into tiny greenhouses, lined up in the yard.

It wasn’t pretty. But it worked.

By the end of it, Chris was out building and filling new raised beds, and I remember looking at the space thinking, “This is already bigger than anything I’ve grown before.”

A First Trip to the Livestock Market

We loaded up the goats and headed to Tina Market.

I had never been to a livestock market before, and honestly, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

We brought a few goats to sell.

I’m quickly learning that farm life comes with a lot of experiences I never would have imagined being part of.

Life Happens Too

Of course, life isn’t just about projects and chores.

We also took time to celebrate Chris’s birthday — with one of his favorites: crab legs.

Things Are Starting to Grow

One of my favorite things about being out here is noticing all the things I would have missed before. There is always something new to notice.

Looking for mushrooms, walking the property, watching the dogs explore — there is always something happening.

And of course, Bandit and Ellie are always nearby, ready to see what we are doing next.

A Day Away

Not every day out here is about the garden or the animals.

Some days are just about getting out on the water — Smithville Lake, the Jeep, and a little time to breathe.

When we started this garden, I was mostly thinking about growing my own veggies. But somewhere along the way, it has become something more.

A place to spend time. A place to slow down.

A place that is starting to feel like home.

By the time I added the twinkle lights, it felt like we were creating a little space that is ours.