Teaching and farming

Well, this doesn't have much to do with the farm, mostly because I (Deb) have to stay inside and study most of today and finish my portfolio for student teaching. Darin and our nephew Quinn have been working out there all day, and I must say that I am jealous. As much as I enjoy reading and writing, on a day like today, I'd rather have on my muck boots and be getting my muscles sore turning the compost or working in the fields.

If you are still getting to know Darin and I, you probably are not aware that I am working on my teaching license part time, while I work as a newspaper reporter full-time. It is all a short-term sacrifice, so that I can have more time on the farm -- and, of course, I want to teach.

Darin and I both come from academic backgrounds. I have an English degree from Butler University, as well as a law degree from Indiana University. Darin has a degree in Geography from Indiana University and has completed his coursework for his master's degree in dendroclimatology at Indiana State University. He and I both -- long before we knew each other -- spent a lot of time dabbling in our various interests. Both of us took courses in education and both of us have a definite interest in teaching. The problem is, we both like many, many other things, too -- which is probably why we both are ridiculously over-educated and yet have determined we are most happy on the farm.

I write for the Terre Haute newspaper, the Tribune-Star. Writing is fun! News is not. But, for now, we must keep paying the bills.

I can't wait for some of you to come out and visit the farm! It is so beautiful to stand out in the field, listen to the horses, and look across the quiet landscape. We have a little bubbling creek, and this time of year, the birds are so busy.

The next time I write, I think I will write about some of mine and Darin's philosophies on how we grow things -- without using chemical pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides, and how we are working more and more to apply organic fertilizer where we can.

We would love to have comments from those of you reading!

Til next time,
~ Deb