I consider farming one of the most interesting and challenging things anyone can do! A farmer must design resilient ecosystems of plants and animals, regularly perform great physical labors, control numerous pests, negotiate with clients and suppliers, use complex and powerful tools, and do it all while enduring unpredictable weather and changing seasons. It is also one of the most rewarding, because you get to live at the center of the life you are creating!
My goal with Nastalin is to not only accomplish these things, but to do so enjoyably, by augmenting the natural beauty of the Appalachian foothills with a beautiful house and elegant grounds, achieving such excellent physical condition that my body wants to work outside a few hours per day, building good relationships with my neighbors, slowly turning my land into a highly productive silvopasture, exploiting Animal Intelligence, and getting significant help from God and His Angels.
This is going to involve a huge amount of work, because practically everything in my life is in bad shape. I renamed my farm Nastaninwalaiqualindalë, or Nastalin, which means Stinging Blue-Green Symphony in Quenya, the language of the High Elves. Stinging refers to the many painful hours I spent pacing the road behind my house while trying to figure everything out, the reception unwelcome guests will receive, and the huge number of wasps and spiders that live here. Fortunately the wasps like me, but I still spend a lot of time peeling spider webs off of, well, everything. Blue-Green refers to the gorgeous view of the tree-covered mountains against the sky, my childhood love of watching clouds, and of course God's Blessings on the Earth. Finally, Symphony refers to my determination to create a farm that is profitable and happy rather than a grinding, painful slog.