Feature Friday: Shantara Acres Farm
If you would like to be featured on Feature Friday please e-mail me.
This week’s featured blogger is Shantara Acres Farm
Could you describe your blog for us?
My blog is a farm/rural life journal. It started out as a way to keep my mother and family, who live 3000 miles away from me, up to date and a part of the day to day life around here on our tiny dairy goat farm. Along the way I’ve discovered other blogs and things that I am interested in such as other small farms, sustainable type farming, cooking with garden and farmers market produce etc. and plan to cover more of those things in the coming months, as the warmer seasons progress. My blog is a personal journal, which also touches, from time to time, on my relationship with a very special man in my life. A relationship that was lost once, but through what seemed, at the time, an unfortunate twist of fate, was found again, at the right time. My blog is also a journal of mine and CG’s purchase of an uncared-for farmhouse, and our slow but sure renovation of it.
How long have you been blogging?
I’ve been blogging since late December of 2009.
What made you want to start blogging? Â
What made you want to start blogging? Â
My mother first suggested it about a year ago and I did start a blog, but only made a couple entries in it. I became interested again after losing my full-time job. I decided that I did not want to pursue another full time job and instead would concentrate on growing my small farm business of making goat milk soaps and lotions and other body care products, which include as many herbs and organic ingredients as possible. I am also a natural hoof care practitioner, focusing on the holistic healing of the hooves and bodies of horses and while that is not the focus of this blog, (I have another blog for that) I do touch on it from time to time and give updates periodically of a horse that I am rehabbing. This horse has a lot of fans over on facebook, and a friend of mine, who heard about his plight, actually paid to have the horse shipped to me from the track in Kentucky. It’s a heartwarming, but as yet unfinished, story.Where are you blogging from?Â
 I am blogging from the currently very snowy, Central Virginia area.
What are some of your favorite blogs?Â
What are some of your favorite blogs?Â
 My list of favorites grows everyday, but I especially like ThePioneerWoman, Tea and Cookies, Small Measure, Cornbread and Chickens, and there are several others listed on my site that I’ve come across recently that I am really enjoying.
Do you have a secret talent?Â
Do you have a secret talent?Â
 Hmm. No, I don’t think any of my few talents are secrets. In fact, any talents I might have discovered have been pointed out to me by other people. One thing I can do that most people cannot though, I’ve discovered, is read a hoof. That is not really a talent, but more of a learned thing, but I’ve found I’ve been able to do that more and more, and with with greater accuracy these days, which helps me tremendously in my hoof care business.Do you have a twitter/facebook account? If so, what are they?Â
Of course. My twitter name is Shantara, and my facebook page is at www.facebook.com/shantaraacresfarm. Stop by my facebook space and say “hi”?
What is your goal that you hope to achieve by blogging?Â
What is your goal that you hope to achieve by blogging?Â
 My blogging goals are simple. First of all, I strive to keep my family up to date on my life. After that I want to bring the small farm experience to people who would otherwise not have it. I like to include lots of pictures of baby goats, horses, the chickens, dogs, etc. Bringing the farm experience to city life is what the farmers markets are all about and that is what I strive to do with my blog. And making people laugh every once in awhile is kind of nice too.Anything you would like us to know?Â
 I’d like everyone to know how much I appreciate my readers and those folks thoughtful enough to stop by and leave nice comments. They make my day. I’m the primary farmer here at Shantara Acres. It is my full time job and does get a little “people sparse” sometimes. It’s nice to be able to connect with other people through my blog and also through reading the wonderful blogs of other people. I so appreciate the opportunity to be a featured blogger on your site. I think it is a terrific way to support each other as bloggers and have become inspired to help other bloggers by doing the same on my blog from time to time. I’m always open to new ideas and suggestion on making my blog better, and just love to get great feedback.Â
I can’t wait to try some of your recipes! Following you from Friday Follow.
Loce y our blog! Found you on Follow Me Friday. Looking forward to trying some of our recipes!