Unlike you, I was raised on a farm - about 5 generations totalling nearly 160 years in deep East Texas - but I left the farm in 1973 & made a career track for myself & supporting, educating 3 wonderful sons who now whole great careers and lifestyles. After what will be 21 years this year in corporate administration, fund-raising, financial controller levels positions in a major faith-based, non-profit inner-city arena, I'm doing an "early retirement" in 2004 - & my goal is to return to farming but on a much different scale that I left. My biggest problem is that I need to go into the venture with 2004 dedicated to training on an organic farm doing pretty much a lot of what you are doing - BIG PROBLEM! - as I have inquired about internships and apprenticeships with a focused goal of being able to walk away ready to begin my own start-up, not too many people doing are willing to train a "well-seasoned, female soul". Most of the people I've contacted are young yuppies, career-changers looking for "farm laborers" under the guise of internship/apprentices. I want to thank you for encouraging me just by looking at the pictures that I CAN DO THIS! Here's a lady that looks pretty much like I do, doing what I will do. YOU GO FOR IT, GIRL !

Judy A. Smith for jsmithtex@juno.com