An end and a beginning

I've been wanting to get back to blogging now that I have more time on my hands. We recently stopped our Free Range Pork business and have plans to go on holiday, soon I hope. I was going to wait until we got away to start writing as there seems to be still a lot to do before we can get away, but I fear that may not happen as soon as planned (the latest plan is to head off in about 5 days time). And I feel like I'm ready to write now. I wasn't for a while, I've been feeling out of sorts since closing the business. Anger, sadness, a sense of failure and a sense of loss, all mingled together. I know other people have bigger problems than losing a business, and while there is so much I have to be grateful for, I can't really help feeling those emotions. I'm certainly grateful for the fact that I met so many wonderful people, some of who will remain friends well into the future.

Some of the reason I want to write now, is because of the emotion - Anger. Why am I angry? I'm angry because we had a business that I loved. It was a lot of work, and we did put so much work into it, Kim and I, plus our children at various times. We loved the pigs and we love farming regenerative, and at least we can still do that. We have loved seeing the land improve under our management. Seeing the different grasses come back seeing areas of erosion heal, seeing so many examples of the land and wildlife improving. This pig business was going to be a chance to make a living off our small block so that neither of us had to work off farm. So I think the anger comes from the fact that it just didn't work out. It nearly worked and I could think of many contributing factors to it not working but I don't really want to dwell on that. I need to start thinking far more positively - I have so much to look forward to.

I'm also feeling sad because we aren't the only free range pig farm closing it's doors. It's going to be very hard to buy free range pork and it will also be very expensive. Makes eating bacon an ethical dilemma for some. Luckily we managed to keep a small supply so I'll ration ours out until one day when we have pigs again. Yes, we'll have pigs, not many, just enough to keep us in bacon (hopefully smoked by me) and a little bit of pork.

If you can support a free range pork farmer, please do, before they become extinct. One subject I want to explore in the coming months, is how important regenerative farming is to stopping climate change. I believe it's one of the best ways to fix our environmental problems, but reiterative farmers need the support of the consumer.

Not sure what our future holds exactly, but I do know it will include farming animals and getting a food forest and big vegetable garden happening. It will also include the beginning of semi retirement.....well that's the plan for now......after we have a holiday.

I have the time now to go out and help Kim do stuff....with the dogs coming along too.