What is Loner's Ridge?

I was thinking this morning that I have never posted about the name - why I chose it or why it is important.

Up north, I had a big garden in deep black soil. The house I lived in was in a flood plain and the creek had overflowed just enough to make the soil nearly black. I planted Lilliput zinnias that grew waist-high - everything that touched that soil grew like crazy, so an idea popped into my head. I would organic farm the half acre around the house, harvest the berries, raise some ducks to help with the bugs and produce some eggs and start my own home business with the results. I did some research into organic farming regulations, attended a couple of classes on marketing your homestead farm wares and decided to start. If things went well, I could work part time during the summers and spend more time with the kids.

We picked up the ducklings in March, before planting season up north. I started my seedlings and for Mothers' Day I received a beautiful rear tine tiller. If you have ever turned over half an acre of dirt with a shovel, you will recognize the beauty of the tiller. Everything was planted by mid-May and I had to come up with a name for my business. I was reading Diana Gabaldon's The fiery Cross (part of the Outlander series) and they lived on Frasier's Ridge - I liked the name so I called my business Loner's Ridge. It turned out to be a touchstone for the dream I had - a little homestead farm, big garden, ducks and dogs lounging in the sun - fresh berries, tomatoes right off the vine and can upon can of good things that I preserved myself.

When things started falling apart, not long after I got the seeds planted the second year - that dream died. I wasn't even allowed to harvest anything from my garden because the ex got a restraining order - of course I wasn't allowed to get my things from the house either. I had to sneak over onto the property and move my flock of ducks and then move my dog pen when he wasn't home. Luckily for me he was a two-bit no-good adulterer, busy trying to woo another poor soul - so he was gone often

I had been seeing Justin for three weeks when I started this blog. He had started one and suggested that I would like it. The loss of my dream still very fresh and raw - so I chose to change the idea around a bit and use the name for this spot. It has been a place to grow and vent and on occasion share some important things.

I have been toying with the moniker for the new place - since we are kind of on a Ridge there. I am not sure if we will have enough area - or enough cleared-sunny garden to ever sell what we grow locally. The blueberries are wonderful - and prolific - so they have some promise. No telling how the ducks will produce - though I think the goat milk sales will be sparse since I have to breed them to get milk - and the "ew gross" factor is pretty high. I have picked out a patch in the woods where several big trees have fallen, leaving a nice clearing with sun all day - that is where the garden will go next year after all the fallen trees are made into firewood. Hard to tell if the Ridge will ever become the name of a physical place - possibly the new house - maybe a vacation house in Durango - who knows. Just thought I should share a bit with you all and tell you the little story.