week 46: and so it goes

this week on the little dream farm

Did you hear?! We’ve started a virtual cooking community and it’s called Our Farm Table to You! Every Friday we’ll be sharing a recipe of the beloved dishes we make and enjoy here on the farm and share with our family, friends, and guests.

Will you be joining us? We’re trying to get an initial head count to inform our planning! Subscribe here today OR please let us know in the comments below if you plan to join us so we can anticipate having you on board!

Sometimes when things go wrong it just ends up being for the best.

Back in March I ordered 60 peony roots to create what I was going to call the Peony Patch here on our farm. I chose 60 completely different varieties of the best red, blush, coral, pink, white, and yellow peonies this grower offered, and spent a pretty penny on them, too!

It’s easy in the dead of winter to have heaps of ambition about the garden and all the things you’re going to try, buy, plant, and do. I’m learning that tempering that zeal is the key not only to a successful growing season, but an enjoyable one, too.

As this very busy season of tending to the Cut Flower Patch wore on I was growing weary of the work of still having to get the Peony Patch planted before the colder temps set in. Originally we’d planned to till totally new beds in front of the solar panel at the front of our farm—which would have made a really nice visual when you arrive on our farm.

But once we had the Cut Flower Patch torn down for the year it felt like it made a lot more sense to plant the peonies there—the ground was already tilled, and I am not planning to grow flowers quite at the scale we did this year in the next growing season. That space could make for a perfect permanent home for the peonies.

Turns out, the farm we ordered from, like most in the region and in parts of Europe, too, had a pretty poor peony season. Here in our region, it was a very cold spring with a couple late frosts, then it got really hot and dry for several weeks at the start of the growing season, and then it seemed to rain all summer long. Unfortunately, this farm lost a lot of roots and had to make a lot of tough calls.

I was supposed to have picked them up in early October. But by the time the roots would have been available for pickup (in a few weeks) it is already well past fall planting time with the freezes we’ve been having these last few weeks. Rather than delaying my order until next year I decided to cancel it entirely and thankfully was fully refunded.

Instead of being bummed…it feels more like relief. A blessing in disguise.

This personal news feels really personal to be sharing but it’s part of our journey so it might as well be part of the story.

Several weeks ago I received a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s Disease—the autoimmune disorder of Hypothyroidism.

It sure does explain a lot about how I’d been feeling for most of this year.

All summer long I couldn’t shake the notion that something was off. I had zero motivation for the garden, the heat was completely taking it out of me during the summer months, and I was feeling a heavy fatigue that I just couldn’t shake.

I went to the doctor and explained all of this but it wasn’t until a few appointments later they finally did bloodwork to get a sense for what might be going on.

After a few bouts of repeat bloodwork, additional testing, and an ultrasound, I received the news. I told my doctor, who was quick to refer me straight to the endocrinologist for medication, to give me six months to a year to work on it myself.

In the interim of the news, Chris and I were at our favorite bookstore over in Vermont one night and facing me on one of the shelves was a book of Ayurvedic practices for treating the thyroid. It stood out to me, like it was trying to get my attention, and after reading the back cover I told myself I’d come back for the book if my bloodwork warranted it.

Several weeks later now, I’ve implemented a bunch of really great herbs and supplements to my routine. I’ve been sleeping more each night (nine hours instead of seven) and have changed my workout and walking routine around a little bit, too.

I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t bothering me…both the diagnosis and the fatigue, and lately the cold intolerance. The stress of my job situation hasn’t exactly helped, as I can absolutely feel how much that stress has been weighing on me this last month.

And if I’m being totally honest…I’ve been wondering how much of the issue of my thyroid has to do with me not doing enough of the things that truly light me up…how much of that stress has to do with not being more closely aligned with my soul’s calling? Maybe that’s a tad too deep for a Sunday Farm Note but that’s the inner work I’ve been doing lately—asking the really tough questions and getting really good and honest with myself about the answers.

If you or someone you know happened to improve their symptoms or reverse Hashimoto’s or Hypothyroidism naturally, I’d be interested in hearing more so please feel free to email me at bergsteinsarah@gmail.com. I have a lot of really great resources at hand, but those personal success stories of healing really help.

While it always feels kind of weird to air personal stuff like this…there’s a point in it for me, too.

Right now I’m thinking a lot about what we can subtract. What we’ll do less of. And how we’ll aim to do very well only those things we choose to keep doing.

With just six weeks left in 2023 I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting on this past year as we make space for the coming new year…taking stock of what worked, what didn’t, what we enjoyed, what we didn’t, what we expected and what actually happened, and also what’s next while in a period of transition.

I saw a quote earlier today that said:

“Not all storms come to disrupt your life.
Some come to clear your path.”

That resonates so deeply for this current season.

Of the planning that I’ve done for the coming year, I know two things for sure: I want to do less and do those things well. And I want to focus more on creating and accentuating beauty all around me. You’ll have to stay tuned for what that looks like around the farm and in our lives.

Just when I was needing it most, my neighbor sent an invite to a Friday ladies night potluck at her incredibly cozy home. The house was filled with candlelight, the kitchen and dining table were both stacked with all kinds of lovely dishes that each woman put together, the fireplace was going while it rained outside; and about 12 ladies gathered together for an evening of drinks and conversation and food and laughter and friendship and fellowship…food for my soul.

I fell into bed Friday night thinking a host of different things…I’m glad the peonies didn’t work out so that I can rest. I’m really uncomfortable right now in this season and that’s ok. I am well and I keep telling myself that. And I need more ladies nights like Friday night because that was just so much fun!

Lordy do I have some good ones for you this week!

1. This fuzzy pullover is the quality of a North Face at a fraction of the cost! I’ve been wearing it daily and I am going to have to get it in more colors. I highly recommend you pick one up, you can’t go wrong. I got it in black, size small. Size up one if you want it to fit oversized.

2. I’m a sucker for a super soft blanket. This wearable blanket hasn’t been out of my sight while at home in weeks. It’s just the right size and heaviness and matches our decor, too. I got the grey plaid and I may just have to order another one for Chris! This would make a perfect gift for someone this holiday.

3. I’ve been doing a lot of inner work as of late and love learning about neural manifestation, energetics, and epigenetics. I signed up for an annual Pathway membership with To Be Magnetic, and right now they’re having their biggest and only sale of the year. Save $96 on your annual membership using this link or this link for a monthly membership and come join me in manifesting your wildest dreams in 2024. Reach out to me personally if you have any questions or want to talk more about it! If enough of you sign up I’ll create an accountability group for us all.

4. I’ve been a Notes from the Universe subscriber since 2013…literally every day for the last decade I’ve read my Note from the Universe. If you’ve never heard of Mike Dooley, if you’ve not taken any of his courses, or you’ve not read any of his books, I highly suggest subscribing to the Notes from the Universe! If you want to read any of his books, my favorites are Playing the Matrix and Infinite Possibilities.

5. I ordered this cat scratcher for the Furmers a few months ago and they’re obsessed! We’re literally just going to keep ordering one on repeat because all seven of the cats LOVE this scratcher! They all use it, they all sit on it, they all love it. And we love that they love it! Get this for your kitty or kitties, for sure. We got it in size large.

   *Note: Not all, but some of these links are affiliate links. That’s no matter to you, as it costs you nothing. However, if you make a purchase, we -may- receive a teeny weeny commission.

To our readers:
This week we hit a big milestone—1,000 Substack Subscribers! Each week this Farm Note is read by anywhere between 1,000-2,200 readers in 47 states and 32 countries around the globe. Thinking about that gives me butterflies! So to have crossed this milestone, 1,000 subscribers, is just absolutely unreal. From both Chris and myself…THANK YOU! Thank you for spending your moments with us and for coming along for the ride. We appreciate you so much more than we could ever say and we hope you know you’re valued here!