Day 362

Fire is a powerful thing. In some cases, it can be very destructive and dangerous. In other ways, it can be a sign of rebirth and regeneration. At the farm, fire is used in many, many ways. This might be an odd thing for me to say since one of our first steps in the remodel was removing the fireplace. Even though the fireplace is no more, fire is still something we enjoy for both recreation and restoration.

Bonfires are a staple of the backyard. Many nights are spent enjoying s’mores, sipping on a favorite beverage, and attempting to catch fireflies. The kids enjoy helping stoke the fire with random pieces of cardboard, junk wood, or yard waste.

Items that aren't a great fit for the backyard firepit get tossed into the burn barrel. When the weather conditions are right, especially the wind, we take advantage of burning away some things we don’t need anymore. An old farmer once told me that if you can’t use it or bury it, you burn it. We are doing our best to oblige.

As we continue to remove ash trees from all over the property in order to attack invasive plants, we have burn piles. There's something enjoyable about knowing that the work you put into removing unwanted trees and plants can be seen in hot, glowing flames. Though the land is scarred with charred ground, eventually those scorch marks will be replaced with native plants, trees, or some type of wetland waterway.

A potential future restoration project will use fire. Prairie burns are great ways to get rid of unwanted materials, enrich the soil, and prepare the land for a complete rebirth. Once we get more of the land cleared, this is something we can utilize to help enhance our overall restoration project.

Fire is a great symbol for our overall farm. In some ways, we bought the property and metaphorically burnt it down. We completely overhauled the house’s first floor, changed the barn's layout and usage, cleaned and cleared the backyard, and started a major project that completely changed the appearance of the big backyard.

Our internal fire continues to motivate us to keep on burning.