Welcome To Our Farm!
After 17 years living in Seattle, our family moved to a seven acre farm on Bainbridge Island, a 35 minute ferry ride from the city. I had resisted this move for years, but my husband finally convinced me. He underscored that our two boys, Spencer (10) and Ben (7), would learn responsibility as they fed and cared for animals, gathered eggs, took care of a large garden, and harvested their own food. I argued the sundry merits of an urban environment for children and staying in the community we had spent years building relationships. But, my husband's soul seemed to be withering in the city, so I agreed to purchase our small farm and sample life on an island. While I concurred with my husband's assessment that our children would be more amenable to farm chores than, say, unloading the dish washer and making up their beds, there were important lessons that we did not anticipate...
