🌼Traci🌼 on Nostr: Over the last few months, I've tried to focus on finding more presence and being more ...

Over the last few months, I've tried to focus on finding more presence and being more grounded while outdoors (and in life in general). I've all but stopped taking my phone with me when I walk around the property, and finally feel free of the obligation to take pictures exclusively with the intention of finding something interesting to share online about life and the farm. I spent a whole year trying to build up consistent habits with social media, create a following for the farm, and practically drove myself to burnout trying to keep up a blog on top of everything. And you know what? Letting all that shit go just feels so amazing.

I'm more present with my kids - who are growing up quickly. I'm more present with myself amd my partner. I never realized how much posting on social media about my life interferred with actually living it.

I've not given up on social media, though. Here I am, after all. I still love checking in with the different people whose stories I love following.

If you've been following mine - and wondering what we've been up to - here's an update:

The cacao that we started planting in the nursery about a year ago is nearly all planted out across the property. The coffee is growing spectactularly, and 2024 will be mostly dedicated to getting the 20,000+ plants of approximately 26 varieties in the ground. This is requiring a massive effort from Michael and the farm crew.

There are serious challenges though, primarily the intense dry season we are in the middle of. I'd hesitate to call it a drought because it's still on the normal side of dry, but we are all anxiously awaiting the rains. In the meantime, there's a constant scramble to keep things watered.

A massive new chicken coop has been built, both to contain the roving dinosaurs and to start clearing the area we plan on planting out with short cycle crops in the not so distant future. This newest area is just step 1 in a plan to eventually have them free ranging in the food forest we are planting out.

Planning. We are at a phase right now that's all about looking ahead at the big picture and then working our way backward to figure out how to get where we want to be - then doing the work. There is constant action. We have come SO far in the last year, and this year will be a big push to get the final key species in our productive #FoodForest planted out.

Thanks for following our story. I'll try and get some more pictures posted. Looking through my gallery, I realized that I've been slacking on taking pictures of our progress. But for now, enjoy.