About
Welcome! My name is Emma (also known as Emmalina) and I am half of Fernwood Farm. It isn’t the first blog I’ve written, if you’d like to know more about what I got up to before moving to the country head here. I started this new blog to reflect a new chapter in my life when my beloved Stephen and I purchased a 95 acre parcel of land in Ontario, Canada. (We are actually British but have been masquerading as Canucks for the last 11 years).
In 2011 we built an environmentally conscious and energy efficient home on our land for our two lovely boys, our cat, dogs and us. Our aim is to live a more sustainable life, growing more of our own food and raising animals. I homeschool our two lads and want them to live close to nature and feel peaceful in the outdoors.
In 2012 we began building a farm around the house. Over the last few years we’ve learned to raise our own meat chickens, we keep chickens for eggs, we raise rare breed pigs and have a small herd of cows for beef. We also raise bees and harvest our own honey, in 2015 we added honey to the list of things we sell from the farm.
As well as providing for our own family we sell our extra produce and run educational workshops at the farm. Our goal is to help other families live healthily and to teach anyone who is interested about alternative methods of farming. We are expanding our workshops each year hoping to engage young people in a relationship with the land and the food they eat.
If you have any questions about what we are up to please do leave me a comment, I read and reply to all comments on my blog and am always happy to chat!
Hi. Well, this is rather uncomfortable. I’m the other half to Emmalina’s evil genius. What should I tell you about myself? That I’m actually a secret agent, undercover for Her Majesty’s British Government on a covert mission to infiltrate small agriculture in Canada and begin to sow the seeds of a rebellion to bring the federal land back under the rule of the Crown? That together, Lizzie and I have plans to once more resurrect the Glorious British Empire, led not by governments but by a benevolent ruler, a majesty. And when Lizzie shuffles on? Yes, I shall be King!
Um, maybe that’s over-sharing. I never can tell how far to go with this kind of thing. My cover story is that I’m just a family guy who can’t say no to doing things really big and is continuing a lifelong struggle to curb impulsive decisions like buying 100 acres. And cows. Several cows. Sigh. I have two gorgeous boys who will grow up eating good food from the farm, an amazing missus who keeps me on the straight and narrow, an evil cat with one ear named Fey, a massive floof named Winnie and absolutely no spare time. There’s lots more to say, but why don’t you introduce yourself first?
Ahhh! Love the new blog… name and all. Look forward to reading more of your adventures!
Yay! Glad you like, I’ll try and keep you up to date with all the madness!
Hey you! The new blog is bookmarked! 🙂
Hello there, greetings to this new-born blog with a beautiful name and inspiration! I share pretty much the same kind of life, so I’ll be checking your blog with great interest! Kind regards,
Valerie
Hi Valerie! Well I shall be certain to head over to your blog for tips, I could use them all! Thanks for popping in, I hope to see you again : )
What an exciting adventure for you! It will be a treat to follow!
going to live vicariously with you if that’s ok. I’m doing the same thing…but on 1/4 acre. HA!
Beautiful blog – glad I discovered it. How did you brits end up in Canada? I’m a brit who ended up in Australia!
thanks so much for stopping by the blog … glad you liked our outdoor space — we are really proud of it … the stat i quoted is shocking — and alarming …. i agree with you — so happy my children and the children in my all natural materials — holistic in home daycare are not part of that stat. your blog is lovely — have a happy Canada day … 🙂 light and peace
Hi…have you heard the song Emelina by Nathan (a great Canadian band). It’s on their Jimson Weed album. I just struck upon your blog…I hadn’t thought of that song in years, but it reminds me of an era. Thanks!
Hello, just found you! I’m also British and called Emma and have two sons. I lived for a while in Vancouver but have been living in the french alps for the past 15 years! We have also built, it’s not yet finished, our own home, and enjoy being outside doing sports, gardening, composting, digging in the dirt etc. Can’t wait to read more of your adventures.
Hi… I just found your blog, it’s so lovely! I’m a former Ontarian transplanted to Kentucky (I know, Kentucky!!) Much to my surprise though this state is full of people with a mind for sustainable living, and we are trying to do the same with the small bit that we have. I am a mom to 3 boys and will be homeschooling them beginning next year. Thanks for your insight and perspective, I’ll be visiting often!
Welcome Kim! Will you be blogging about your exploits? I’d love to know how you get on : )
hello ! Im not even sure how I ended up discovering your blog, but what an absolute delight when I read you were from Ontario as well ! I am always so please to read about homesteading and homeschooling as think they go so well together ! Would love to chat ! Maybe we are almost nieghbours ! lol!
Amber (mom to 5, homeschooling,urban homesteader looking for our dream farm !),
Hello Emma,
I just stumbled upon your blog, quite by accident, through aromatherapy posts. I have been using Young Living essential oils for almost a year now and they have made an amazing impact in my life. I’m always looking for new ways to use them and the pillow sprays sound amazing.
I am also a Montessori teacher of 3 to 6 year olds and am dedicated to
helping young children thrive, love learning and build communities of peace.
Your photos are amazing! I am so happy you & your family are finding such joy in life! I look forward to reading more.
Welcome Andrea! Thank you for your lovely comment, such lovely kind words always brighten my day : ) I hope you pop back and see what we are up to!