Behind the Fritz Hobby Farm
Growing up, I watched my quiet Grandpa work the garden soil and tend to the cows on the dairy farm, so having our own hobby farm was a natural fit for Kev and I. Being responsible to care for something is deeply satisfying and holds so many life lessons within.
As a child, we would spend some of every summer and Christmas holidays in Maine, where my mother grew up. I followed in my Grandpa’s footsteps, and it wasn’t so much the words he spoke but his action that connected with me. Grandpa was a gardener, baker, candy maker and dairy farmer, and I had the privilege to spend time with him in the barn and gardens, just learning. It hasn’t been until more recently that I’ve realized the impact he had on my life.
When Kev and I started to plan what our life would look like, having a hobby farm was not really a part of that dream. It kind of just happened, maybe inevitably, on accident. It snuck up on us slowly at first and gained momentum as it went. I think it was imprinted on my heart as a child just waiting to burst out as an adult.
After we built our home on our current property, we then started to dream about what else we could do. We started with the garden beds. This has definitely been my passion and Kev has been incredible; he sees the value in this. I kind of learned as we went – researching online and getting locally written books by Alberta gardener, Lois Hole, to help me learn how to garden in our climate. It was a lot of trial and error. That can be discouraging with hobby farm life, but it’s also how you grow.
I wanted to cultivate the same qualities of tending and caring for the earth in our kids. There’s just a different way to connect with kids and your family when you’re outside. It’s so important to find places in life that you can connect intentionally. So many lessons happen when you’re playing in the dirt!
Learning alongside my kids has been such a gift and shows them that we can take risks and it’s ok if it doesn’t turn out the first time! I’ve dug deep in my garden beds to put logs and deadfall, finer twigs, and then soil on top – as a way of regenerating the soil – only to have it cause poplar seedlings to sprout every spring. Gardening is an experiment. Watching the kids experience things they had a hand in growing themselves helps them to see that, all of a sudden, a zucchini isn’t so scary when you watched it grow!
After the garden beds were established, we then moved on to chickens. I loved the idea of collecting my own eggs! Our next-door neighbour lent us a small chicken coop (suitable for 6 chickens) and we fell in love with it! So, Kev built our own coop and we got some hens.
What comes next after chickens? Well, our second oldest, Hudson, is a real animal lover. Or rather, he’s an animal whisperer! He just has a special touch. For his birthday one year he wanted to get ducks so bad. So, we dug a pond, put up some fence, and he got two ducks for his birthday! As parents, we’ve always wanted to nurture the gifts of our kids and what they love, and we knew we had the space and capacity to do this.
Last year, at the beginning of Covid when we were homeschooling the kids, Hudson had to write a persuasive letter to Kev on 3 reasons why goats were a good idea. And, well, it worked! So, for his birthday last year, we got two goats: Joey and Bubba. They just make the hobby farm so fun! The kids helped to build the pen and are a part of preparation every time we add something new to the farm. There’ so much from math to science to compassion that the kids can learn from hobby farm life! They are a part of collecting eggs and produce, weeding, and checking on the animals morning and night.
One time we had a sick hen that we needed to put down, so we talked it out with the kids and asked them what was better for the hen, “Should we allow the hen to suffer and be in pain, or would it be more compassionate to kill the hen to keep it from suffering?” We also had to navigate having predators in our coop last year and walking through that with our kids. The lessons are endless. Our kids are learning to think through tough, complex issues and to cope with some realities that might be hard for them. We now have 25 chickens, 2 goats, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 6 ducks, and 3 goslings with the desire (Hudson) to one day have pigs. In time!
For now, at the end of the day while the sun sets and the evening glow is warm, my heart finds rest and calm in this space. There’s nothing like it! This way of life has inspired me to try new things, live intentionally right where I’m at, and has given back more gifts than I can count. I like to think my Grandpa would be proud of what has become of his little red-headed, freckled face granddaughter. I wish he could see his great-grandchildren running barefoot through the garden taking care of the animals they love.
If you’re thinking of branching out into hobby farm life or simply starting a garden, do it! Nature is so forgiving. Just start slow and small, learn from people and the spaces around you. Ask questions. I have a gardening journal where I write down what did and didn’t work every year, so that I can keep learning.
You’ll never regret spending time outdoors!
