MDR, Open and Exposed

This month marks the fourth year on starting over here at the Mini Farm.

We came from the farm to this nice house in the city. We hung on as long as could.

To a little place out in the country with a lot of potential where we started life all over again, you could say city life was not for us. Life happens so we ended up going back to what we knew best. It was going to take work, but we were up for it. We had a blank canvas to work with and a fist full of ideas to go on.

The end result after four years was this, a fully working, self sustainable homestead.
I cannot count the man hours, money, drops of sweat, tears and blood we have poured into this place to make it what we dreamed it would be. We have came along way in a short amount of time. Just about everyone who has ever came to the Mini Farm has wished they had something like it.

Many projects and experiments litter the back yard. Some worked like planned and others still need a little tweaking to prefect the design that was once in my head. There, on the bench in my shop sits a folder filled with ideas and dreams yet to be built. The dust has already started settling on not only the folder, but the ideas within it.
A couple of months ago we sold all the animals, we are trying to save for a new air conditioner unit for the house. Sure, we still have a few chickens in the yard and now we have one donkey for some reason, but as I sit on the patio we built four years ago I look across an empty and quiet field that once held so much life. I also see the barren gardens we worked so hard to maintain and if I look hard enough I can just see inside the empty barn that once held so many living creatures, now it only holds a stack of empty feed bags. I see all this and wonder to myself, am I done.

Next month marks the Fourth year of Modern Day Redneck. This post is the 850th post I have written. This blog as 294000 visits from all over the world. It gets close to 11000 visits a month. MDR has been featured in many chat rooms, forums, web pages and even mentioned a time or two on pod casts. On top of all that this blog has 252 great family members. If you would have told me this four years ago I would never have believed it.
Saying all that I think it's time to introduce myself. My name is Jerry Ford, I live near the small North Texas town of Pilot Point.
I am a conservative, a husband, a father and most importantly, a daddy. I will also soon be a grandparent, I don't know what I want to be called yet but I am working on it. I have not excepted the situation nor do I like it, but I have to man up and deal with it.
My day job is in construction building highways, I don't like it much, but it's good money and a job.
I spent some time preaching the word, but soon fell from grace and now I am trying my best to start that steep walk all over again one day at a time. I struggle with everyday problems from bills to demons. My main struggles are with hate, racism, grudges and bigotry. These struggles and my non-willingness to bend my so called principles has torn my family apart. To escape some of these problems I do the worst thing I can and find relief in the bottom of a beer can. I have preached on everyone of these issues and know what they do to yourself and the ones you love. Like I said, one day at a time and he will get me through it. I guess having my girls all back together again this weekend triggered something inside. I want that again and I realize now I am the one that is keeping it from happening and it's not worth it.
That is about as exposed and as open as I can get right there.

The words put down on this blog are all true in the way I see it, remember it or take it. Is it all exactly word for word the way it happen, some yes and some no, but it's how I recall it to be. Deception is never the intent. I have lost many friends and pist off many family members with this blog. Probably out of embarrassment for themselves more than anything, but it is what it is. I have been called fake, also called a scammer, to me I am what I write and I write what I am.

In the beginning I wanted to post everyday. Now I am lucky to get one a week. What is there to post about when you are doing nothing productive? Nobody wants to hear about the everyday struggles we all face. I may mention them, but I try to never dwell on it. Same goes for religion and politics, there are many other blogs out there that can do a better job than I can when it comes to those. I have my beliefs and views and I promise you they are different than yours so I keep them to myself.
So I sit, several times a week looking at a blank screen wondering what I can write about. Finally when nothing comes to mind and I give up, I wonder if I am done with this chapter in my life as well.


Until then,
Jerry, MDR


    

Too Much Chili

This weekend was just plain fun. We cooked chili at the Denton Elks lodge both Saturday and Sunday and we had a blast. It might be the people, it might be the environment and it might be the cooking but in the end I think it's all the above that makes it that way.

Saturday I placed 3rd in beans and 6th in my chili. But all that didn't matter to me one bit because I had something I have not had in a very long time there with me.

All three of my girls came by to spend the day with me. The oldest drove up from college station, the youngest had the day off and the middle one came by to smile for the camera and hug her daddy's neck. It was the best day I have had in a long time.


Sunday I placed 11th and the wife placed 14th in our chili. The oldest girl also cooked with us both days but for some reason she is not placing right now. She will get it, I am sure of that.

We had many friends and family drop by on both days to support us and hang out. I want to say thanks to all that did and you all made it a very special weekend. 

Other than that, back to work.

MDR

I Know You!!!!

The other day I had a guy come over and buy the last remaining rabbits. Just like every other Craigslist add, it was a 50/50 chance if he even showed at all so I didn't hold my breath. 
The guy was actually running on time and after unloading his cages we walked around back. He stopped, looked around and started commenting on how set up I was and started asking questions about this and that. Of course when anyone shows interest in the Mini Farm, I give a tour.
We walked from project to project and I described in detail what everything was used for. When we got to the Bathhouse his face lit up and he looked straight at me and said, "I know you!!!!" He continued, "I read your stuff on the internet, your the Modern Day Redneck!"
Why yes, yes I am.

Meet Thumper. He is a miniature donkey and I didn't want him, the youngest girl "Wee" did. He was free and she could not turn him down. How could I get mad at her for doing the same stuff I have done so many times before.
I don't know her plans for him, but he is hers to take care of.

With all the goats gone for a while now it's nice to have something back in the pasture.

And yes, he is riding in the back seat of my truck.   







This weekend we will be cooking at a Chili Cook off both Saturday and Sunday at the Elks Lodge in Denton. This place is located just off the square on Hickory St.
If you find yourself up that way then stop by for a visit. Or if you think you got some good chili then bring your fixens and come on. We are always looking for new cooks to haze. 

Other than that, I'm as busy as a one armed paper hanger,

Later,
MDR

I say, Let It Flood

Over the past two weeks we have had about four and a half inches of rain.
The yard is flooded, at times the back looks like a lake. The ditches ran full for several hours in the heavy parts of the rains. We can't step off of our little pathways without sinking to our ankles and loosing a shoe.
I love it and I am not complaining one bit. The water tanks are back to the full mark and over flowing. I can start taking showers again in the bathhouse as soon as the sun comes back out. Everything is greening up again and not looking so dead anymore.

This new job is keeping me busy. I don't have the time to post as before. Maybe it will slow down this winter some.

 We didn't have a chili cook off this weekend, but I did spend it cooking anyway. I have been itching to get some meat on the smoker and Sunday the rain held off for me to do just that. I smoked some ribs, Pork Butt and a Brisket.
No, there was no party, I just wanted to get this stuff smoked up and into freezer bags so we can eat on them for the next couple of weeks. Plus I am trying to make room in the freezers for some wild hog. My dad has been trapping several hogs a week and I have not had the room for any. Well, now I do so this Sunday I will be at the hog killing.

Plus, the wife got her a job now so that means I go into cooking and cleaning mode.
We both have the "De-Clutter" bug and we have been moving stuff into boxes and out to the barn. Once the house is the way we want, then we will probably have a big garage sale. 

What else...........
Next Saturday we will cooking chili in Greenville Texas for the Wounded Warrior Project. If anyone is interested in sponsoring our cooking team for this cookoff then you can hit the donate button on the right side of this blog.
This is their first cookoff at this location and I am trying to get as many cooks as possible for this great cause.  

Other than that, life is good.
MDR