The internet is so helpful, as we are learning and discovering more about gardening, farming, and homesteading, I can glean so much information from those who have gone before us.
Except for one small part; our terrain, our climate, our country.
Just over 6 years ago, we moved from California to Barcelona. We lived in the city for several years, and it wasn't until recently that we made the decision to leave the city and move to the country. We had been talking about wanting to learn to become more sustainable and care for our own plants and animals in a greater way, there's only so much 'gardening' you can do in the city, and only so many pets you can care for. Originally, we thought the farming idea was our retirement plan. We talked about it like it was off in the future, our reward for doing life. And as we continued to talk about it, the dream became more and more of a reality.
...But...
Everything is harder when you're an expat. So moving just 20 miles outside of Barcelona felt huge. And studying to get our driver's license here feels like a milestone. The little things we take for granted living in the culture we grew up in feel like the biggest feats here.
And that is why we thought about starting this blog, because possibly, just maybe, there are other English-speaking expats out there who are learning about the same things we are learning about and we can share information. We live just outside of Barcelona which means we experience the hot Mediterranean summers and slightly cooler winters the more north you are, due to the mountain ranges (Pyrenees). Inland tends to be slightly drier and hotter in Summer, and nights are cooler than the coast.
As we learn about our soil and climate and what things grow well and when to plant different seeds, we will share our findings and hopefully this can be a helpful tool and an open dialogue with other 'wanna-be' farmers out there.
Our long-term project goal is to have a Bed & Breakfast/Farm where we can practice sustainability and continue to learn, while providing hospitality (my passion) and integrate it with the earth and plants and creatures. We will share as we venture into this process.
