In the fall of 2006 our family made a huge move. It was a move that we had been dreaming of for a long time. We moved from our home near Salt Lake City to a small farm in northern Utah.

It was a move that we had long dreamed of. We were tired of our small yard, the panoramic view of our neighbors carport from our bedroom window, the constant barking of dogs, and the regular visits of Salt Lake County’s finest to our neighbors across the street. We wanted some space. I remember when I was growing up having open fields and a gully to go play in and have adventures. Our kids were not enjoying the same thing, and I was afraid to let them walk places.

Cows in a Field

Our family visited a farm with a family whose members are great friends of ours. Both families fell in love with the farm. We decided that a farm was what we wanted. There was space, it was beautiful and fun. A couple years later our friends found a farm for them and moved away from us. We visited them a few times, and then in the fall of 2006 when we visited them we found a place nearby.

We decided that in order to get what we wanted we would need to jump at the chance, and so we jumped. We now have space! We live in a beautiful area. The view out the windows of the house are of fields, flowers, sky, and farm animals. I have a garage which is also something I always wanted.

The move was bigger than any of us ever imagined. We bought into lives that were very different than the ones we were living. We try to live more simply now. We have a barn, a large garden, new fruit trees, cows, chickens, rabbits, bees, some cats, and a dog that we need to take care of. We are just now learning things that the neighboring farmers know and have been doing all their lives. It often makes me feel like an idiot. I have computer skills that many in our area could care less about, and I am lacking in knowledge and just about every skill that is needed on our farm. It makes me feel like an imaginary farmer.