Our Small Farm--The First Year
July 29, 2019-July 29, 2020

Some Background Info

Here is how our small farm looked on the day we found it, June 28, 2019. The property extends up the hill almost to the big tree. Look at that big sky!Here is how our small farm looked on the day we found it, June 28, 2019. The property extends up the hill almost to the big tree. Look at that big sky!

For several years, David has talked on and off about getting a small farm and being able to grow some of his own seeds for our business, David's Garden Seeds®. For the past 20 years, I have complained about the horrible traffic in San Antonio, the seventh largest city in the USA.

I heard about a seed festival in another state that I thought we would enjoy going to. In May of 2019, we went to this seed festival which was located in another state. The seed company hosting it was about 20 miles from the nearest town, down a dirt road, yet there were thousands upon thousands of visitors. It occurred to David that he did not need to be inside of a large city or even on a major highway to sell his seeds to the public.

When we got back home, David actively started searching for land out in the country. He looked online and we drove all around the outside of San Antonio. On one of our drives, we found our small farm with a big for sale sign on the barbed wire fence, pulled over, and called the realtor. That was in late June.

We had cash and wanted to buy this farm right away, but they kept pushing back the closing date a whole month. By the time we closed, we had already sold the home we built and lived in for 18 years and closing on that home was coming up but they would not get it in gear. It took them a whole month before they wanted our cash...

Monday, July 29, 2019

Today, we got the word that we would finally be closing on the small farm property tomorrow. It is about time since we have had the money to close and have been asking to close since we got a land contract.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019 - Our Small Farm

David's hands, lower left, and Juanita, upper left, signing deed to small farm in Atascosa County. This was shot by our real estate agent. Thank you, Cristian.David's hands, lower left, and Juanita, upper left, signing the deed to our farm in Atascosa County. This was shot by our real estate agent.

Today, July 30, 2019, David and I closed on our small farm. We paid cash for 3.99 acres in Atascosa County, Texas. Our parcel of land is from a peanut farm that was inherited and divided by the children of the deceased owner into several pieces. Our parcel is 167.80 feet across by 1037.94 feet lengthwise.

We sell garden seeds for a living so owning a farm seems like a great idea. That way we have some room to grow our own seeds.

We felt pretty good about owning land in the country so we went to Luby's for lunch to celebrate. The meal was delicious!

We found out that drilling for a water well would cost us just under $20,000.00! We want to do it but are putting it on hold for now.

We met with the water company after closing and they informed us it could be up to three months before we get city water. We also met with the electric company. They said we wouldn't have power for four months. Insane!

Wednesday, July 31, 2019 On Our Small Farm

I took this photo early this morning on our small farm. The property outside the fence to the road belongs to the state of Texas.I took this photo early this morning on our small farm. The property outside the fence to the road belongs to the state of Texas.

This morning, we left the house at 6:45am to go to our farm. The grass, weeds, and wildflowers are waist high in some places. We can't really get in there to do anything. David has made arrangements to have it all shredded but the contractor cannot be there until tomorrow.

Today, we had appointments with representatives of four different companies. We met with someone from the electric company, the portable potty company, the dumpster company, and the transport company that will be delivering and setting up our manufactured home.

The portable potty was delivered and placed in a corner. It is bright orange so everyone will notice it but it is necessary as the closest restroom is miles away out there. The delivery man got stuck in the sand so David hooked up the truck to our SUV and pulled it out of the sand.

Our portable potty will serve us well as get the land in shape to move in. We have workers coming in to shred the property.Our portable potty will serve us well as get the land in shape to move in. We have workers coming in to shred the property.

The trash dumpster was delivered without a problem.

The transport company said it could be three to four weeks before they are ready to deliver the home. Then there was the disappointing news...

The electric company said it could be up to 17 weeks (that puts us in the middle of November, folks!) before we get hooked up. (Close enough! It was on October 29, 2019 before they let us have electricity!) As a city girl, I never dreamed that it could take so long to get water and electricity turned on in the country on our small farm. My birthday is November 17. Maybe if I am a good girl and I wish long enough and hard enough, I will get electricity so I can bake myself a cake.

We arrived early in the morning, waiting to meet with the above mentioned contractors. While we sat there, one of our neighbors drove over and introduced herself. We really don't have many neighbors right there since the lots on either side of us are empty.

Also, at our current home, an inspector came for the buyers. He was in and out of our home in 20 minutes.

We have to move out of our home by August 26, the day we close on the sale. Fun times for Mr. and Mrs. David's Garden Seeds®!

Thursday, August 1, 2019

The fence along the road is down, preparing for the driveway and the eventual arrival of our new home!The fence along the road is down, preparing for the driveway and the eventual arrival of our new home! The dirt in the foreground belongs to the state of Texas.

Today, the fence closest to the road was taken down. Some of the bushes were trimmed. Not much can be done until the weeds are shredded. That is supposed to happen on Saturday, August 3.

While we were out at the farm, our pastor came by to see it and to pray with us as we dedicated the farm to God.

Late in the afternoon, a surveyor came to our current home to survey the property for the buyers. He said it would take 90 minutes but he was there for two and a half hours.

David picked up his riding lawn mower with cart in the afternoon. I am very excited to try it out!

Friday, August 2, 2019

I packed more of our possessions early this morning for the big move. I worked on the linen closet and got most of it emptied. This evening I will work on our clothes closet and drawers. Our son, Matt, has been taking boxes down to storage. We now have four storage units. Apparently you accumulate a lot of possessions after you have been married for 32 years!

Today, we drove to Hondo, Texas to visit the TXDOT office so they would place our mailbox outside of our fence. The ground between our fence and the road belongs to the state of Texas. (We are on a Farm to Market Road.) We found a big mailbox at Walmart last week. The gentleman we spoke with was very helpful and said it should be in place by next Tuesday. Next we have to go to the Post Office in Poteet and give them our new address so they can add us to their mail delivery.

We spoke to our Manufactured Home salesman and he said we will definitely close sometime next week. Also, he said the transport company will be starting work on our property, getting it ready for the home by setting up the pad and driveway, sometime next week.

Saturday, August 3, 2019

Today, we had a contractor shred the property with a tractor. He did all but the top near the fence. The property looks really good.

The contractor is in the tractor, shredding the farm.The contractor is in the tractor, shredding the farm.

We will take some hand tools and a crew to the property on Monday and get that done so we can get to the trash pile the previous owners made. We need to get everything into the dumpster we rented because it will be removed next Tuesday so the transport company can make the road and driveway. The pad for our home has to be put in this week for the house delivery.

Sunday, August 4, 2019

Today is Sunday so we went to church and then to Lowe's to find some tools needed for tomorrow. We will be packing up some more of our possessions for the big move in less than three weeks.

Week two of setting up the farm continues below.

The Adventures of Setting Up The Small Farm Continue Below

Our small farm home with a few of our new oak trees. We will put our business and store in front of our home.Our small farm home with a few of our new oak trees. We will put our business and store in front of our home.

Week 2- 8/05/19-8/11/19-Fire In The Hole

Week 3- 8/12/19-8/18/19--Manufactured Home Closing

Week 4- 8/19/19-8/25/19--Moving Out of San Antonio

Week 5- 8/26/19-9/01/19--Family Farm Home (Shed For Now)

Week 6- 9/2/19-9/08/19--Raised Garden Beds On Our Small Farm

Week 7- 9/09/19-9/15/19--New Manufactured Home Repair (We got city water & finally moved into the home this week!)

Week 8- 9/16/19-9/22/19--Mobile Home Repair Take Two

Week 9- 9/23/19-9/29/19--Living In A Mobile Home

Week 10- 9/30/19-10/06/19--Double Wide Manufactured Home

Week 11- 10/07/19-10/13/19--New Mobile Homes

Week 12- 10/14/19-10/20/19--Farm House

Week 13- 10/21/19-10/27/19--Manufactured Home Plans

Week 14- 10/28/19-11/03/19--Our New Farm (We finally got electricity!)

Week 15- 11/04/19-11/10/19--Mobile Home Interior

Week 16- 11/11/19-11/17/19--Life On Our Mini Farm

Week 17- 11/18/19-11/24/19--Backyard Garden

Week 18- 11/25/19-12/01/19-Turkey Dinner

Week 19- 12/02/19-12/08/19- Mobile Home Floor Plans

Week 20- 12/09/19-12/15/19- How Many Days Until Christmas

Week 21- 12/16/19-12/22/19- Christmas Movies

Week 22- 12/23/19-12/29/19- Christmas Ideas

Week 23- 12/30/19-01/05/20- Happy New Year On The Farm!

Week 24- 01/06/20-01/12/20- Farm Plans

Week 25- 01/13/20-01/19/20- Garden Planner

Week 26- 01/20/20-01/26/20- Backyard Farm (That is one half year of working on the farm!)

The front yard of our small farm will soon be turned into our store, business, and parking lot.The front yard of our small farm will soon be turned into our store, business, and parking lot.

Week 27- 01/27/20-02/02/20- Life On The Farm

Week 28- 02/03/20-02/09/20- Farm Ideas

Week 29- 02/10/20-02/16/20- Garden Seeds

Week 30- 02/17/20-02/23/20- Garden Shop

Week 31- 02/24/20-03/01/20- Garden Life

Week 32- 03/02/20-03/08/20- Mobile Home Living

Week 33- 03/09/20-03/15/20- Farm Yard  (Our Dave Ramsey Cruise Gets Canceled)

Week 34- 03/16/20-03/22/20- Coronavirus Update

Week 35- 03/23/20-03/29/20- Shelter At Home

Week 36- 03/30/20-04/05/20- Covid 19

Week 37- 04/06/20-04/12/20- Coronavirus Garden

Week 38- 04/13/20-04/19/20- Seed Orders

Week 39- 04/20/20-04/26/20- Texas Reopening

Week 40- 04/27/20-05/03/20- Baby Chicks (Our first farm animals!)

Week 41- 05/04/20-05/10/20- Getting Organized

Week 42- 05/11/20-05/17/20- Mailing Orders

Week 43- 05/18/20-05/24/20- Farm Store

Week 44- 05/25/20-05/31/20- Chicken Coop

Week 45- 06/01/20-06/07/20- Home Business

Week 46- 06/08/20-06/14/20- Seed Store

Week 47- 06/15/20-06/21/20- (Soft) Grand Opening Of Our Store

Week 48- 06/22/20-06/28/20- Filling Orders

Week 49- 06/29/20-07/05/20- Portable Building (The business moves to the farm!)

Week 50- 07/06/20-07/12/20- Business Complex

Week 51- 07/13/20-07/19/20- Fall Seed Orders

Week 52- 07/20/20-07/26/20- Seed Store Work

Week 53- 07/27/20-08/02/20- Fall Vegetable Garden Seeds

This concludes our first year on the small farm we now call home and what a year it has been. We finally have our business here, lock, stock, and barrel and David and I are loving the commute! Thank you to all who have read our year one blog of farm life. (I know a year is 52 weeks but we didn't buy the farm until the middle of week one and the anniversary was in the middle of week 53. LOL!

Lessons Learned So Far On The Small Farm

Look at the view from the backyard of our small farm. The sky is always spectacular and the meadow is gorgeous.Look at the view from the backyard of our small farm. The sky is always spectacular and the meadow is gorgeous.

First lesson: It always takes a lot longer to get things done than what they say. (True example: If they tell you they will be here on Monday, they mean a Monday two or three weeks out.)

Second lesson: It always costs way more than you expect it will because of unexpected stuff that you haven't thought of. We have spent a ton of unnecessary money such as the generator and propane gas which is extremely expensive. We had a good savings account but not so much now. That means we have to scrimp and save all over again

Third lesson: Don't set up a small farm in the summer in Texas; it is just too hot. It will be in the hundreds for the next eight weeks. Combined with the humidity, that makes for miserable days and nights.

Our Farm Journal By Year

Year Two of Life On The Farm

Year Three of Life On The Farm

Year Four of Life On The Farm

Year Five of Life On The Farm

Year Six of Life On The Farm

Since 2009, over 1,500,000 home gardeners, all across the USA, have relied on David's Garden Seeds® to grow beautiful gardens. Trust is at the heart of it. Our customers know David's Garden Seeds® stocks only the highest quality seeds available. Our mission is to become your lifetime supplier of quality seeds. It isn't just to serve you once; we want to earn your trust as your primary supplier.

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Matt with one of our Barred Rock chickens. The chickens adore him. ♪♫♪♪♫♫Matt with one of our Barred Rock chickens. The chickens adore him. ♪♫♪♪♫♫

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David of David's Garden Seeds® zipping along on his little tractor across the farm. He is having a blast!David of David's Garden Seeds® zipping along on his little tractor across the farm. He is having a blast!

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Hi! I am Juanita aka Mrs. DGS. This photo was taken in our commercial kitchen during a potluck.Hi! I am Juanita aka Mrs. DGS. This photo was taken in our commercial kitchen during a potluck.
Mrs. David's Garden Seeds in the greenhouse with Lucy the lap dog.Mrs Davids Garden Seeds in the greenhouse with Lucy the lap dog.

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seeds1
davidmatthives2Our bee hives
fishOur fish pond
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goats0924Our Nigerian Dwarf goats
gardenbedsgreenA few of our raised garden beds
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