by Michael Clark
St. Francis Farm offers an alternative to the norms of our modern society. If you are looking for a model that offers a way to make a difference regarding living simply and with meaning then this is a great place to explore. You will be living and working with a hard working, pleasant family–3 of the kindest people I have ever met. They offer the opportunity to learn as much as you want in all aspects of small scale farmsteading.
From starting off your day with the silence of reflection to the hearty morning meals where each day is planned out the rhythm of the day is set. While I was there I was able to be involved with timber harvesting, milling logs, raising a barn, working in the vegetable garden, peeling apples for apple sauce, grinding rolled oats for flour, canning tomatoes, milking goats, learning how to make soft goat milk cheese, the fine art of driving a tractor, and tending to pigs and chickens. The work is hard and tiring and the meals are hearty and delicious. The best part of the farm is that the family is working as hard as you are each and every day. For someone interested in a homestead model that is really working and wanting to learn many of the necessary skills that a successful homestead needs, I highly recommend St. Francis Farm.