Hi all

I am Kristina mom of 2 boys 10 and 7.  I think I am a farmer but unfortunately I live in town and can't even have chickens.  I fooled them though I have rabbits and many babies, a dog,fish, and a bird.  I have maxed out my yard, garden wise and have moved on to my front yard.  My neighbors are all old and just love me. LOL

   I do rent land at a local farm so I intend to expand this year.  I believe in doing what I can for myself.  I am an avid baker and cook and love the science of canning.  I look forward to making friends and learning a bunch.

I'm Susan.  I'm an almost 55 (Wow!!) married mom with 2 kids — 14 yo son and 10 yo daughter.  We live about 35 miles outside of D.C. in Virginia on 13 mostly wooded acres.  We garden, can, grow shiitake mushrooms, have 2 dogs, a cat and 1 duck (we had 7 at one time, but they've been picked off, one by one).  We are also beekeepers and bottle and sell honey under the name "The Boyd's and the Bees" — thus, my user name.  The beekeeping is a hobby — in the real world we run a plumbing and heating business from our home.  The economy has not been kind to us for the past 2 years, but we have survived and business is picking up.  Our self-sustaining, frugal lifestyle has helped alot and ideas from Suzanne's and other self-sustaining blogs and websites!  We hope to add a few chickens this spring!!  I also crochet and would love to learn to knit and make socks!!!