Growing Pains

I have been looking for more land for our family for quite a while now.  At the moment we grow as much organic fruit, vegetables and herbs that we can possible fit in our garden.  We also have a chicken house with three chickens, a greenhouse, plus a trampoline and jungle gym for the children. Visitors are always impressed with the amount of things that we have managed to fit into the small space, their comments always make me smile.
Our three children love to help in the garden, and love eating the fresh produce. In many ways I am spurred on by them, they now eat a far wider range of vegetables and have learnt so much.  My youngest two are pea crazy, and I struggle to grow enough to keep them happy.  Peas never make it into the house here.
Last year I managed to get my hands on a local allotment after being on the Parish Councils waiting list for four years, its a five minute walk from here with water, a shed and regular deliveries of manure.  Sadly for me this allotment could not have come at a worse time, as it was three weeks before I went into hospital for knee surgery. I tried hard to clear the plot, but it was in a terrible state some of the weeds were taller than me. Unfortunately this was not good enough for the council, and I had to give the plot up.
Another idea was to rent this property from the Church of England.

What do you think? Most people that I showed this to were totally horrified lol.  We came across this place when a friendly beekeeper showed us his hives. The house itself is in a terrible state after being stood empty for years, the kitchen has been used to house sheep, its got terrible woodworm, no mains electric or gas.  The access is pretty tricky and after September was not passable by anything less than a 4x4. But you know I just loved it, it is in the middle of an organic mixed farm, with no neighbours for a mile and our children's school is about two miles away. The house is in the middle of an acre, and that would have given us lots of room for all the things that we love. Sadly that was not to be either.
I am excited to see what opportunities are in store for us in 2014.