Today I'd like you to meet Cherilyn.  It took some coaxing to convince her that people need to hear about her story too.  As she stated, "I just live on 3 acres with 2 goats, a Shetland sheep and about 15 laying hens.  What would people want to know about that?"  Well, I am here to tell it!  What she doesn't state is that she lives in the middle (or on the edge) of a subdivision.  By all appearances, she lives in the middle of town.  Now as we all know, subdivisions have covenants, so she is limited to what she can do, but not beyond pushing the envelope, gently, to see what she can do.   

When I asked her why she was living this kind of life her response was, "Sheesh, where do I start?  The short answer is so that I can be living my best life, which is healthy and authentic. Here’s the long answer. I was raised in the suburbs of the Chicago suburbs, and none of the "bright" kids I spent time with were looking into anything remotely agricultural. I was supposed to get my Master's or PhD and settle into my nice white collar job for the rest of my life. In my mid-20s, I started to feel like I needed an antidote to mall culture, and I started reading about living simply. I had a small garden.  I grew some perennials.  I experienced the sacrament of eating a carrots pulled seconds ago from the earth, seasoned only by water from the hose.  I couldn't go back from there.  Then I was on to organic food, sustainable living, and desperate to find a place where I could actually live full circle.  When we moved to Montana, I knew I'd found that place.  Having three small children inspired me to find healthier food and give them a taste of a vanishing life.  I mean, how many people have felt a warm egg, fresh from the hen?  How many can walk to their backyard for an entire meal?  How many have had to tell their kids to get the chicken off the trampoline?
I was going stick to urban homesteading (my passion) with a huge garden and chickens, and then Kathryn graciously invited me to this group. The wild and dangerous WOTD inspired me to try sheep and goats, and here I am, learning how much I don't know. It's one of the best women's groups I've been involved with, though. There's nothing like a group of smart, focused, funny women."

It's easy to see what Cherilyn is most passionate about raising, her sons, although goats are her favorite farm animal.  She likes goats because they are cantankerous and keep her honest.  Of her sons she says, "Seeing them get comfortable around livestock, snarf lettuce and basil straight from the garden, and live in concert with nature keeps me learning about sustainable living." 

Cherilyn recommends "Four-Season Harvest" by Eliot Coleman as a must-read!  He makes growing your own food nearly year-round seem manageable and very appealing.  And as another WOTD, Jenny, said, "There just aren't enough pictures in that book!"

In closing I asked Cherilyn if there was anything else she wanted the world to know about her.  She said, "That rumor about me and Johnny Depp, completely false!  He only wanted me for my produce."

Cherilyn welcomes email and she can be reached at tcm3crew@gmail.com.