The opportunity for me to retire recently presented itself, and I took it! With eleven goats (five being milked twice daily), at least twenty-four chickens at any given time, seven to ten honey bee hives, and a 
large garden, it was becoming very difficult for us to keep up with full-time employment and Bramblestone Farm. So, when it became possible for me to retire, it seemed like the right thing to do. Tomorrow will be the first week I haven’t had to be either at work or school for nearly 50 years. It’s a hard concept for me to grasp right now, but the picture to the right (I took it while we were on vacation in Hawaii) is sometimes how I feel.
I’m looking forward to having more time for the farm, blogging, writing, crafting, scrapbooking, gardening, cooking, maybe writing a book, and who knows what else. First on the agenda though is creating an office space that I can work from. The office area in our home has always been more of Randy’s area, but he’s been great about clearing things out so that I’ll have a space to work.
We’ve worked hard to create the farm, and have looked forward to retiring and spending more time on the activities there that we enjoy. But I’m also nervous about being retired, it’s funny how something that you’ve looked forward to, is suddenly threatening when it finally arrives. My retired friends all tell me that they love it, I’ll love it, and will adjust in no time. Here’s to retirement!
Mary says
We use the honor system, kinda. We did have some theft, so we now employ a container anchored to the shed with a slot to put the $$ in. People come to the house if they need change. We try to keep things as simple as possible.
Lesa says
Glad to hear that works Mary, we need to consider setting something like that up. Our house is so far from the road, your kind of set-up would be perfect.
Karen Maloney says
Congratulations…..boy do I envy you. Love reading your blog and keep wishing I could have a small farm. I’m a country girl living in the city with a small flock of chickens and trying to find a way to sneak in some goats! I wish you every happiness.
Lesa says
Hi Karen, thank you for the good wishes, and I hope you find a way to make it back to the country. I take it your city doesn’t allow Nigerian Dwarf goats? Some cities are now allowing does, and some have been successful in getting their cities to change the rules and allow ND does. They’re no bigger than a medium size dog, and cities allow those 🙂
Karen says
I’m so envious. My husband and I are hoping to retire in the next five years and leave our urban farm for acreage enough to sustain us. The thought makes me very nervous though. I’m worried we’ll not be physically able to keep things running well into our older years. I’d like to hear from those in their late 60’s, 70’s living off their land. How’s it going?
Lesa says
Hi Karen, we worried about getting older and not being able to keep up too, so we purchased property and started working on building the farm way before we thought it would be retirement time. If you set things up so that it doesn’t take a strong young man to do each thing, then I think it’s possible to keep going – but it takes thought on how you’re going to set it up. Hay bales and feed bags get heavy quick. Thie might make a good future post topic!
Karen says
Maybe this would be a good new blog or Yahoo group “Retirement Homesteading.” If not, keep us posted on how it’s going for you.
Lynn Kissinger Noone says
I just retired in June, and I understand your feelings! I’ve been *so* looking forward to that day, so when the stress level at work became overwhelming, I gave my two week notice without hesitation. Then it hit me….I’ll have to start budgeting! Oh well, my chicken coop is completed, after a year of construction. My garden plot is fenced in to protect it from the deer I put up a predator proof fence around about an acre to protect our immediate yard, including chicken and duck houses. What more do I need? I find myself humming and smiling every day! I love it!
Lesa says
Lynn, congratulations on your retirement! Sounds like you do have everything you need, good reason for smiling and humming. I’m still wandering around in circles trying to get organized, hope to get to the smiles and humming part soon.
Mary says
Hope you enjoy your retirement as much as I am. I just turned 64 and we have 50 chickens, almost a 2 acre garden of veggies (just a hobby)with a veggie stand. This summer is winding down for us now, putting away lots for the winter. I love your blog.
Lesa says
Hi Mary, I hope I do too. Congratulations, your setup sounds perfect, do you man the veggie stand, or do people just pay using the honor system?
Lesa says
Thanks Teda, Janet, and Tammie! And Janet, I might not have done it if you hadn’t led the way 🙂
Teda says
Sounds like there’ll be no rocking chair waiting for you, Lesa! Too much to do around the ranch. As someone else said, I don’t know how you did it all before you retired. Whenever I was reading your blog I wondered about that. Well, congratulations, and well done!
Janet Ingersoll says
Congrats Lesa! I know you will love it!
Tammie Memmer-Prentiss says
Congrats! You’ll be so busy you’ll wonder how you did it all & worked. Wishing you the best in your new season of life…go get them ;).