We’re Moving!

It’s not official yet, but we’re working on it.  It’s kind of shocking, I know.  I’m kind of shocked myself.  Not totally shocked though because last year around this time, we got the bug to move.  We just didn’t.  Last fall, we looked at property up near Cripple Creek for a while, decided we preferred more oxygen than that altitude provides, and then spring and kidding season came and we started running around like chickens with our heads cut off and stopped doing any thinking at all.  We milked until Popeye muscles popped out of our forearms, planted the garden and greenhouse and orchard, tended to baby goats and human children, made cheese and taught classes.  Now that it’s coming toward fall again, things are slowing down, the kids are back in school, the baby goats have moved on and the moms have dropped from 4 gallons a day to 1 ½, we have a few spare minutes to think…and dream…again.

When we moved into our house 5 years ago, I thought I would die here.  Not immediately, mind you, but in about 70 years or so.  It’s interesting how dreams and priorities change though.  We have learned through living here that we have a passion for goats, teaching, making cheese, being self-sufficient – and that The Animal Whisperer has a tractor addiction.  We have learned there is a powerful desire in the community for raw goat milk and locally produced goat milk cheeses.  And, we’ve learned that a big house invites accumulation of stuff we don’t need.

We want to move.

And, this year, we will.  We love what we do, we love where we live, but we want more land, more goats and a creamery.  We want to be producers of locally made goat cheese from a larger herd of goats that graze on pasture. We want to raise free range chickens and sell hundreds of dozens of fresh eggs.  We want the boys (and their darling mother) to have horses.  We want to build a log cabin, a well-appointed barn and licensed creamery somewhere close to Colorado Springs.  We want to sell our cheeses, lotions and soaps at a farm stand on our property, at farmer’s markets, and TO YOU!

If we could affordably do that by acquiring land in our neighborhood, we would.  Despite how much we love it here and how much work we’ve put into improving the soil and building the garden, greenhouse and orchard, and how awe inspiring it is to wake up every morning and see Pikes Peak just outside the window, we haven’t figured out how to get our dream to work here on our 1.6  acres with 4 milking goats.

Someone else will get a turn to live in this beautiful house with its incredible view, grow their garden in chemical free black gold with a timer controlled drip system, raise 9 foot tall tomato plants in the 30×15 passive solar greenhouse warmed by a  rocket heater, pick pears, apples, cherries, plums, peaches and apricots from the rain harvesting and permaculturally minded orchard, raise chickens, goats, or horses in the newly roofed barn with new cement floors (that make clean up a breeze), experience the beauty of walking in The Garden of the Gods – it’s basically in the backyard, and enjoy the tranquility of the country with the proximity of the city.  (I’d make a good realtor, huh?)

As far as some of the details go, our house needs some work, we will sell it as is for $475,000 (not including realtor fees).  If we fix the deck, the bathroom and other odds and ends, we will sell it for $525,000 (also not including realtor fees.)  We have decided to sell it ourselves and not hire a realtor because we have had such strong interest in it over the years that we think we will be able to come to an agreement easily with a potential buyer.

We will keep you updated and we thank you in advance for your well wishes.  For now, we’re still here!  We’re teaching classes through the end of October (sign up now so you don’t miss your chance!) and still milking goats!

-The Goat Cheese Lady