It's a Blog'iversary on "The Beginning Farmer"

"I am going to use this web log as a journal of my journey into the world of farming. I hope that it can be a source of information for other people that have the same dream that I have (full-time farming). Since I do not have any immediate family that is currently involved in farming I am looking into the potential of alternative farming that does not take as much land as conventional Iowa row crop farming. Some of the ideas that I am researching are berries, cut flowers, pastured hogs, free range broiler chickens, organic eggs, sheep, and goats. I want to have a diverse group of farming endeavors in order to have things producing income at all times of the year. I am not looking for a hobby, rather I'm looking at farming as a full-time job.

That was the very first paragraph of the very first post I made on "The Beginning Farmer" blog two years ago today. Since then there are been 362 additional posts (including today's) and for about the past year I have been committed to posting Monday through Saturday. Along with all those posts there have been hundreds of comments (I'm actually not sure exactly how many, but I know there are a lot). These comments have given me a lot to think about as you all have asked questions, shared your experiences, questioned my ideas or thoughts, and encouraged me countless times!"Even though I am two years further along, what I wrote in that very first paragraph still holds true for me. I continue to post six times a week because I want to chronicle this journey of ours and hopefully share some knowledge, experiences, and information with others that have similar desires as those of my family.

What really makes this blog great though is not me. I think this is a great blog because there are people all over the country and the world who share, debate, joke, and encourage all of the people who choose to read these words. In fact that is what makes communities great ... people willing to share and encourage others with their own experiences.

If you have stuck around for a while and read many of these posts ... thank you! If you have stumbled across the blog and have just been following a long for a little while ... thank you! If you subscribe and find my ramblings in your e-mail inbox daily ... thank you! And, if you have encouraged me and others through your experiences or lessons from the farm (this is a reminder for everyone to become involved in the commenting) ... THANK YOU!

P.S. I've been saving that picture for a while waiting for the right time to really make fun of myself. Becca snapped that shot this past winter when we were trying to get a picture for the Epi-Log. I wasn't quite ready when she took the picture!