Day 54

We needed equipment. Any tools. And plants. And time. And childcare. 

We knew there were options out there for financial assistance but those options are not guaranteed and take time. With a goal of not having to wait on what isn't even certain, we exhausted many other options (and people) to get Craneview on Plainview up and running.

 Teaching friend donated an old, but working lawn mower. A Retzer friend came and provided tips about setting up a garden space. A fellow  Ice Age volunteer provided assistance and education about woodworking projects to improve the barn. A different Ice Age member provided old restoration tarps he no longer needed. An in-law donated old deck boards which may eventually turn into bridges over the ditches on a trail through the land. Other Wild Ones members donated native plants and seeds to help adorn the yard. We were able to get a ton of leftover tree saplings from an area nature center giveaway. For a nominal fee, we joined the Arbor Day Foundation and received a dozen trees. We scoured the Internet for people who were selling and disposing various items we thought we could potentially use someday. Let’s just say we have a few extra barn stalls filled with wood pieces and fencing.

Though appreciative of all these wonderful things, we knew we could not simply piecework a farm together. We needed assistance in another way.

Money.

After researching restoration options and techniques, I thought my sending a sea of emails might be done for a whale. I was very, very wrong. Many of the people I had set up visits for 

restoration also threw in options and ideas for funding. Being a bit naive, I didn't really know what to expect. But I soon found out, a restoration project of our farm’s size and needs requires lots of time,  plenty of patience, careful and thoughtful planning, useful manpower and equipment, assistance and cooperation from Mother Nature, and a boatload of money. 

After going beyond our original financial intentions with the farm acquisition, discretionary money available for such a venture wasn't exactly available.However, we had not reached a dead end. 

Maybe just a different route.