Author: Solace Farmer

We raise Finnish Landrace Sheep (Finnsheep), Boer Goats, Hereford cross cattle, and Duroc/Hampshire Pigs. Our Animals are part of our everyday life as well as our livelihood. We are located in the Pacific Northwest at the edge of the ponderosa forest just west of the Rocky Mountains near Spokane, WA. Our farm is based on the concept of holistic farming and permaculture. We raise and feed all our animals organic hays and grains grown by ourselves and other small family farms in our community. This farm produces Fiber for spinning, felting and weaving. We also sell handspun yarns and do custom spinning for your projects as well as create artisan made items from our hands to your home. We are a family committed to the agricultural concept of the FAMILY FARM being the best way to produce the products our society needs while being careful stewards of our environment and good caretakers of the animals entrusted to our care. We breed and sell quality seed stock from our farm with special discounts for 4H and FFA members. Please email with any questions about animals available for purchase or if you experience any difficulty with this site.

ā€œYou aint gonna get rich farmingā€¦ā€

Solace Farm in Winter Greenhouse in the North

I heard an old farmer say, ā€œYou aint gonna get rich farming.ā€  This was blunt advice to a new farmer stuck with me.  Go into this with your eyes openā€¦this life close to nature is challenging at best.  The paradox is that the old timer was encouraging farming anyway and welcoming to anyone willing to take the challenge.  He finished his statement with a small smile of contentment as he looked up from his work worn hands, ā€œSo you had better like what youā€™re doing.ā€  This is the best farming advice I could give anyone. 

The paradox is that this vocation is not one of ease or monetary gain. The agricultural life is physically and emotionally grueling punctuated with pure joy and contentment.  Donā€™t be fooled by the pretty pictures and happy stories on social media.  It is day in day out hard work and takes deliberate planning and fortitude.  But if you accept the challenge, it will be one of the hardest things you will ever love.  It will seep into your soul, mold your character and grow you in ways you never dreamed of.

I have been blessed to have spent most of my life farming and through the profitable years and the years that bled red on the balance sheet I have always felt a sense of contentment and gratitude.Ā  I did not get rich, sometimes struggled deciding which bills to pay, but I always had healthy homegrown food on our table and to share with our neighbors. I always knew we had met each challenge that nature and life threw at us with our best efforts.

So why do it?  I do it because of the thousands of hours I have been privileged to watch plants and animals grow, knowing my labor was helping to create something wholesome and good.  I do it because of the many nights I have laid down an exhausted body knowing that I had done my part in making my small piece of this planet, we all call home, flourish.  Always I have known what a privilege it was to nourish the land while it nourished us.

I am not here to discourage you – far from it. I am here to encourage as many as I can to jump into the adventure called agriculture.  That old timerā€™s smile of contentment held a secret.  The wealth that comes from nurturing the land as it nurtures you back.

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Join Me on this Adventure

January Sunrise 2026

I took 2025 off from blogging to deal with some major challenges and life changes that have not only altered the course of my life but manifested changes in me.Ā  I am jumping back into being regularly active on my website, still sharing practical farming and homesteading information.Ā  Added to that, I will be sharing how that information and practical wisdom fits into building an abundant life.

Underpinning my posts will be the goal of sharing the process of building a blessed life.  In Greek the word Blessed (Makarios) means:

  1. Ā A state of being self sufficient
  2. Being complete within oneself and not dependent on external conditions

As a farmer it is easy to worry about and react to all the external forces like weather, illness, markets, and politics.Ā  All of these and more, effect on our endeavors to be good stewards of the land and animals in our care while we attempt to flourish.Ā  To live a blessed life on the land we need to find our resilience and joy in the myriads of small successes that we experience in our daily life.

I hope you join me on this timeless journey of living an abundant life amid the challenges that modern society throws at us. I look forward to hearing from all of you regarding the usefulness of what I share through this blog as well as your own experiences and insights.  My purpose is to build a community that will share with and support each other on this adventure we call life.

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Warm Kale Salad with Quinoa and Spiced LambĀ 

Recipe by “Homemade”

Prep Time: 25 min-Cook Time 20 min-Total Time 45 min-Servings 4

Ingredients

For the Lamb: 

ā— 1 lb American lamb stew meat, thinly sliced 

ā— 2 tbsp olive oil 

ā— 2 cloves garlic, minced 

ā— 1 tbsp soy sauce 

ā— 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 

ā— 1 tsp ground cumin 

ā— 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 

ā— Salt and pepper to taste 

For the Salad: 

ā— 6 cups curly kale, stems removed, chopped 

ā— 1 tbsp olive oil 

ā— 1 tbsp lemon juice 

ā— Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste 

ā— 1 cup quinoa, cooked and cooled 

ā— 1/2 cup chopped dried dates 

ā— 1/4 cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped 

ā— 1/4 cup shaved pecorino 

For the Dressing: 

ā— 1 roasted red pepper 

ā— 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

ā— 1 tablespoon lemon juice 

ā— 1 clove garlic, minced 

ā— 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 

ā— Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Marinate the Lamb: 

In a bowl, combine the sliced American lamb, olive oil, garlic, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Toss well and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes (or up to an hour if you have the time). 

2. Make the Dressing: 

In a small blender, combine all of the dressing ingredients and blend until smooth. Set aside. 

3. Cook the Lamb: 

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the marinated lamb in a single layer, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan. Stir-fry the lamb for about 3-4 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove the lamb from the pan and set aside. 

4. Cook the Kale: 

In the same skillet, add a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chopped kale and sautĆ© for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until itā€™s tender and slightly wilted. Season with salt and a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness. 

5. Assemble the Salad: 

In a large bowl, toss the cooked quinoa with the kale. Add the lamb, chopped dates, toasted almonds, and shaved pecorino. Drizzle the dressing over the top, and gently toss to combine, ensuring everything is evenly distributed. 

6. Serve: Serve warm, with a little extra pecorino on top if desired.

USDA recommends the following time and temperature parameters

Ground Lamb

Internal temperature of 160Ā°F

All Other Cuts

Internal temperature of 145Ā°F, with a 3 minute rest

Tasty, Healthy and Keto Friendly
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Resources to help Get Started

brown grass field under cloudy sky

Informational Purposes for those trying to buy or expand a farm:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1, 2024 ā€“ The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for November 2024, which are effective Nov. 1, 2024. USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures or meet cash flow needs.

ā€œI encourage our lenders and borrowers alike to work with our local offices and our cooperators to capitalize fully on the existing flexibilities in these important programs,ā€ said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux.

Operating, Ownership and Emergency Loans

FSA offers farm ownership, operating and emergency loans with favorable interest rates and terms to help eligible agricultural producers, whether multi-generational, long-time or new to the industry, obtain financing needed to start, expand or maintain a family agricultural operation.

Interest rates for Operating and Ownership loans for November 2024 are as follows:

Farm Operating Loans (Direct): 4.500%

Farm Ownership Loans (Direct): 5.125%

Farm Ownership Loans (Direct, Joint Financing): 3.125%

Farm Ownership Loans (Down Payment): 1.500%

Emergency Loan (Amount of Actual Loss): 3.750%

FSA also offers guaranteed loans through commercial lenders at rates set by those lenders. To access an interactive online, step-by-step guide through the farm loan process, visit the Loan Assistance Tool on farmers.gov.

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Farming:Ā AĀ PathĀ toĀ aĀ HealthierĀ Lifestyle

crop field under rainbow and cloudy skies at dayime

In today’s fast-paced world, the pursuit of a healthier lifestyle often feels like a never-ending quest. We constantly hear about the benefits of eating healthier, exercising more, and finding peace in our life choices. As a farmer, I can tell you that all three can be accomplished through the choice to create your own farm, whether it’s an urban vegetable garden or a full-scale homestead on an acre or more.

Humans, in many ways, are like plants. We need water, sunlight, and good soil to thrive. The farm life is full of fresh air, sunlight in all weather, and good soil producing nutrient-dense foods. Living on a farm for over 60 years, Iā€™ve worked outdoors almost every single day of my adult life. Nothing beats early morning chores, feeding the livestock as the day begins. The sense of joy you get when youā€™re happily greeted by the critters makes even a stormy day bright. The simplicity of getting your morning exercise while inhaling the contentment of the livestock and the joy of the farm dog accompanying you to the barns and fields is where deep peace takes hold. This is where resilience is grown in your soul.

shallow focus of sprout
Photo by Gelgas Airlangga on Pexels.com

The rhythms of nature flow over you as you garden. Watching the seed you planted in faith break through the soil and grow strong with your nurturing is so rewarding. The joy of eating what you have grown gives such a sense of accomplishment. The quiet routines created by farming keep you moving forward through each season. Movement is life. Constantly meeting the ever-changing challenges in farming not only takes physical movement and endurance but also psychological and intellectual growth. All these things are necessary for a productive and successful lifestyle.

Harvest
Bountiful Harvests
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