To Farm or Not to Farm

So I have been very excited for about a week now because said we could go ahead and get a farm!!!!!!!! Well, we found 20 acres in Fillmore, UT for $10k and were beside ourselves at how cheap it was. (was? (say wu uz?)) So yesterday we took James out of school early (and during computer lab no less) and rounded up the family for a road trip. We met the realtor and followed him out to the property. It was better than I had hoped. 1/4 mile by 1/8 of a mile and it could all be mine. We figured to take out a loan from our retirement to buy it outright. They said the seller really liked that and they pretty much told the other two potential buyers to give up, one of which did. Drum roll please..............................






Well, I called my retirement people and they said I couldn't take out anymore money because I already did to fix the suburban a year and a half ago.
LET DOWN.............................................
So,,, I guess we won't be getting a farm anytime soon. Good news is that we can still farm on my Dad's property until it gets developed.
Maybe my next post should be about the stinking stock market;)

Appleseed Fishing Pond

When I was growing up, west of Lehi, we had a catch and pay trout farm. We raised brook and rainbow trout and would help anglers through all steps of the fishing process. Our dad tried to make us understand that few people could have what we had and that we should appreciate it. We tried but looking back I don't think I appreciated it as much then as I do now that it is gone.

In about 2002 Saratoga Springs was in turbo development mode and by over-tapping the aquifir our artesian wells lost their natural pressure which caused our pond and fish to suffer. With the loss of continual 54 degree water coming into the pond, summer temperatures of the pond rose while dissolved oxygen dropped; both bad for trout.

By 2006 we fished out all the trout and gave up on the pond. It's still there and this time of year it is full and even draining into the outlet leading to the Jordan River but we have to remind ourselves that that is only temporary. The other ten acres have not been used for anything other that a few cows or sheep in the past but now we're getting new ideas on how to utilize the forgotten land surrounding Appleseed Fishing Pond. I shouldn't disparage my dad's efforts too much, he has done a great job gardening around the house and in his orchards. There are about 9 acres that have been used for livestock occasionally but are usually fallow.

Over the last few weeks we decided we can use that land to actually produce some crops. Why it took so long I don't know; all we can do now is go forward. For years I have had my eye on Missouri and the Midwest for farming and have looked right past my dad's little farm. I realized that before I invest eveything I own into a full time farm, I should probably practice and learn the basics on a small scale.

We have plans for wheat, sunflowers, possibly soybeans, amaranth and the list keeps growing. Getting water to the field may pose a challenge now that there is not always water in the pond to pump from. We may end up digging a deeper end in one of the ponds to allow shallow groundwater to be pumped. (yes we still have plenty of water right shares.)

We'd also like to plant a large garden out there to feed us and open it up to the public for a fair price.

If we want to see our dreams come true, we have to take action to get them going. My grandpa, who grew up on the Joseph Smith farm in New York always dreamed of being a farmer and growing apples. When he and my dad started their fishing pond venture they decided to call it Appleseed Fishing Pond in honor of Grandpa's dream. I hope to perpetuate that name in my farming endeavors.

I Love Google Earth

This morning while passing the time as I wait for a pool hearing just before lunch I stumbled across yet another feature on Google Earth. In the layers section is a check box to identify mountains. I enabled that feature and started looking at some mountains around the valley. Not all of them are correctly placed but I got looking at Timpanogos, Mount Mahogany and Box Elder Peak. I've never climbed to the summit of any of these. In fact I think the only mountain I've never conquered was Lake Mountain as a child at our ward Father and Sons campout. I remember asking my dad as a kid why God created the mountains and he said it was so that we could climb them. I've been in the mountains quite a bit but have not taken full advantage of climbing these wonders that are such an attraction for all of us who would otherwise consider moving somewhere else (i.e. a big ol' farm in Missouri) Well, if I'm going to stay in this bloated market because of the mountains I'd better well use them, right? I want to climb some of these peaks and start enjoying God's creations in a more intimate way than speeding through Daniel's Summit at 65 mph. When I can resolve to slow down my life and enjoy the simpler things of life then that's what I'm going to do.

Glen James Ellis

The last week has been an interesting one. I got an email from my dad one week ago saying that he would be flying to Arizona to see his dad before he died. I told him I would be driving so we went together after lunch on Thursday. We had a 9 hour drive to Flagstaff where we got into a motel then continued to Queen Creek, Arizona Friday morning. We arrived mid-morning at the Ellis home and spoke with Charlotte and Steve the nurse. They said we could see Grandpa as soon as we donned masks so we wouldn't get him sick. Apparently his white blood cells were almost non-existent so we didn't want to unnecessarily expose him to illness.

Dad told Grandpa about Sara's obstinence to the doctors' recommendations to have a C-section in the Phillipine's. Grandpa responded, "that sounds like Sara." It was good to see him with his wits about him. Over the next two days his health declined rapidly. He wanted to go home and was ready to go home. Despite his readiness he waited to say goodbye to Moana and Reid. He is ready to be with Grandma again. He has lived a great life and influenced many people in a positive way. I am not sad for him but I will miss him greatly.

Glen James Ellis was born August 14, 1930 and passed away November 1, 2010.

Pictures of Awesome Trampoline

So you dig a hole with your shovel, give up, whine to your brother-in-law for about a year about how hard it is and how you don't have any time to dig a stupid trampoline hole, watch brother-in-law dig hole in a few hours with mini-excavator dump trailer and laser level, screw corrugated sheet metal around the legs of the trampoline frame, drop in the perfect hole, backfill around edges, reattach tramp canvas, add kids = recipe for a killer back yard. (figuratively and literally)

Can Boys Like Pink?

I made some pancakes today at Chomper's request. Upon James's request I added some purple food coloring to the batter. Since we started with a yellowish based batter the purple ended up more of a pink. We then made to strawberry milk (which happened to turn pink). So as events would turn out we had a completely pink meal for 4 boys. We didn't even have Candis there to justify the color. James said it was ok because Gary the Snail on Sponge Bob has pink around his shell.

Does that look like throw up or what?

It tasted great!

Greenline coming to Lehi!?!?!?!!!!

What could put Lehi on the map even bigger than Cabela's or Lehi Trafalga? I have heard rumblings that Greenline Equipment is moving in near the Point of the Mountain. John Deere is a rare commodity here in this part of the county. I am so excited to take my boys up to the new "toy store".