Charlton City, Massachusetts

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We also have permission to glean the corn that the chopper leaves in nearby fields. This year?thanks to an exceptionally inefficient harvester?we managed to collect two pickup truckloads of free corn to feed to our cow, calves, rabbits, and chickens.

Speaking of chickens, we used to have about twice as many hens and cockerels as we have now . . . until a month ago, when my Canadian farm girl wife and I decided to cull 14 birds from the flock. (We froze 12, and made the other two into 12 quarts of the most delicious home-cooked chicken noodle and chicken rice soups you can imagine.)

Over the years, we've built up the soil on our place with manure from our animals, repaired and remodeled our house, and?in general?poured so much of ourselves into these four acres that, today, there isn't a force on this earth that could make us leave our little home stead here in southern Massachusetts. We've learned that it's not easy to go from nearly 100% dependence on supermarkets and department stores to almost total self-reliance . . . but we're convinced now that such a change certainly is worth the effort involved.

Hallelujah! Is it ever worth the effort! As I write this, I'm sitting beside one of our three wood-burning stoves, listening to the Montreal Express (as the cold north wind is known locally) go howling by outside . . . and I'm so snug and warm and peaceful and secure I almost want to explode from just feelin' good! Remi and Dan are in the other room pumping on the player piano, and—believe me?the joyous din of their laughter rising above the Maple Leaf Rag is music indeed!

Another thing that makes it all worthwhile: our food. Just this morning, for instance, we helped ourselves to good, old-fashioned, stick-to-the-ribs oatmeal topped with honey from our beehives and fresh cream from Sassy (our Jersey COW). To that, add toast made on top of the kitchen cookstove and smothered with real butter that we churned ourselves the night before. Man, that's what I call good eatin'!

Very often our hearts tell us that we owe thanks for all the wonderful things we have. So sometimes we open the family Bible and sit around the fireplace, reading the sacred book and learning of the goodness it contains. Life truly is a blessing here on our little homestead.

In closing, we would like to offer one small thought to those who would go back to a simpler, more meaningful life on the land. Each sunset, strawberry, and fieldstone on the piece of land you call "home" belongs to God. When you're watching one, savoring the next, and building your shelter with the other . . . tell Him "thanks". And maybe these same treasures will be there for your children?and your children's children?to enjoy.

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