Yurt Basement, Greenhouse, Honeybees... Laughing Linden Farm is Expanding!

Dear Friends and Family,

Much has transpired since our last blog post (last May!), and it's about time we shared all the exciting news!

First, for those of you whom I don't connect with as regularly as I'd like (sorry about that, by the way), I am all healed up from my injury last spring. In fact, the whole thing seems like a distant memory, and it's hard to believe it even happened. I've been back at work all winter as a ski instructor, and have even taken a 4 day intensive chainsaw class to improve my skills, and make sure I avoid any unnecessary mishaps in the future; After all, we have 68 acres full of trees and brush that need thinning, clearing, and caring for. So I might as well embrace the fact that me and my chainsaw are in a long term relationship.

Our landscaping business (Sacred Earth Landscaping) is starting to ramp up for spring. We now have liability insurance, as well as another years worth of trainings, workshops, and life experience under our belts. Right now I am offering free consultations, as well pruning services - especially fruit and nut trees, and woody shrubs. Please get in touch if you're looking for help in these areas, and feel free to spread the word!

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Little Linden is talking, singing, running around, eating on her own, pooping on her own (for the most part), and yes, even skiing (she is my daughter after all)! It's been a harsh winter in terms of colds, flus, viruses, and general sickness, but hopefully this means that her immune system will be able to kick into super high gear going into spring and beyond. Luckily, we got a powerhouse Mama running the show and keeping everyone fed, tinctured, salved, and altogether cared for... including Sheeba the dog, our cats Moon and Star, and our 18 healthy chickens (who have really started ramping up their egg production in the past week or so- up to 17 a day). Steph has also been busy running the rental, which has been booked nearly every weekend all winter long.

And speaking of rentals... We are happy to announce that the Yurt basement is now complete! This project came into fruition in great part as a result of our (and our parents) realization that we need more space on the farm for guests to stay in when they come visit. The upstairs of the yurt will continue acting as a rental, and good income source, indefinitely. And it seemed absurd that our friends and family were paying to stay at other local airbnb's, rather than having a place to sleep right on sight.

BUT... since finishing the space we've decided that WE are going to move into the basement! Hurray!!

Our plan is to rent out the barn apartment where we've been living (to pay off what it cost to finish the basement), as well as using the space for guests.

So in conclusion: Come visit!!!

Another major achievement here on the farm was the construction of a beautiful 30'x72' hoop house. This came curtesy of a USDA grant through a program known as NRCS. Big thanks to our local rep Scott Hughey for filling out all the forms, and helping this dream come to fruition. And thank you to the US government and the farm bill for including this provision. Next time you are writing or calling your local congresswoman, senator, president, etc, please make sure to say "...and by the way, keep up the funding for the NRCS!..."

Last month I built a very basic greenhouse inside the bigger hoophouse as a space to start our seedlings. We have a small propane space heater that we turn on at night to keep the temp around 50. So far its been working great!

Finally, we are honored to announce that Laughing Linden Farm is now the new site for the non-profit Save the Honeybee Foundation's "Honeybee Sanctuary."

This means that our land is now officially being dedicated to preserving and improving habitat for all pollinators, especially honeybees. It also means that every donation received by the non-profit will partially go towards funding pollinator forage and beekeeping gear for Laughing Linden Farm.

Please check out their website here.

We will be discussing this new development more in our next blog post later this spring, so stay tuned!

With abundant love, gratitude, and green blessings,

The Rhodzell Clan

P.S. In November I began keeping a daily weather journal here on the farm. In case your interest, our snowfall this winter was as followed:

November: 2"

December: 54.5"

January: 32"

February: 15.5"

March so far (It's snowing right now): 7.5"

For a grand total of: 111.5"

...Which is pretty close to our seasonal average.