All of Our Dreams CAN Come True

Another dream brought to life by dogged determination and refusing to give up

Tapping the “Publish” button with trembling fingers, I sent the book 15 years in the making out into the world. For better or worse, “How to Buy a Farm With No Money” is now available at Amazon, and I am finally—and officially—a published author. Another dream brought to life by my own dogged determination, and the refusal to give up when the going gets tough. I invite you to join me now for the latest farm-update!

Welcome to the latest Updates From the Farm! If you are new here, I invite you to check out my About page to learn what this is, who I am and why I am doing this. Or just dive right in! At “Runamuk Acres” you’ll find the recantings of one lady-farmer and tree-hugging activist from the western mountains of Maine. #foodieswanted

I crashed hard on Sunday, following 2 weeks of intense activity on the farm. Sugarleaf’s 2nd annual Farmers’ Market followed directly on the heels of our 2024 Hay Mission. I’d hardly stopped to eat and sleep, let alone catch my breath. This week has been much slower but no less monumental—as I’ve finally published my first full-length book: “How to Buy a Farm With No Money; The Resourceful Farmers’ Guide to Working With the USDA Farm Service Agency”.

Sugarleaf’s 2nd Annual Farmers’ Market

Honestly, I’d forgotten how much I enjoy farmers’ markets. I love the sense of camaraderie farmers’ markets foster. I like talking with people about food and gardening, farming and, yes, even the weather. Educating the community goes hand-in-hand with selling your wares, and I’ve always found farmers’ markets to be an ideal way to share and promote new concepts.

Here I am at Sugarleaf’s Farmers’ Market event!

Course─if I’d known we’d end up haying just prior to this market event, I probably wouldn’t have accepted the invitation. Once I give my word, though, I’m committed. And so, BraeTek and I spent last week baking and harvesting, and preparing for Saturday’s event.

I first met Dave Veilleux back when we were both working for Johnny’s Selected Seeds. Now, he and his wife Michelle, own and operate Sugar Leaf, Co. here in New Portland. Marijuana is legal in Maine and a number of other states across the US, and I see no reason why I should hide the fact that I use it. Coming out of a traumatic childhood, I struggled with PTSD, depression and crippling anxiety. Prescription medications only made it worse, so I turned to weed to cope with everyday life.

Now it’s just part of who I am: a goofy pot-head farmer who hugs trees, communes with nature and kisses sheep. Thus, I had no qualms in setting my tent up alongside pot-growers and cannabis dispensaries from across the state at Dave’s 2nd annual farmers’ market event.

Besides, it’s a farmers’ market right in my own town of residence, so it seemed only right that Runamuk should be in attendance.

For 3 days, and then even in the wee-hours of Saturday morning, we baked breads and goodies to take to market. Thankfully, BraeTek is stepping up to take on the bakery side of the Runamuk operation. I was able to leave some of the baking to him, while I prepared the rest of the farm for its farmer to be away for a day.

With a revolving door of guests coming into the farmstay, the farmstand to set up for the weekend, and both groups of sheep to move on the field, I had my hands full. Once I got there and had everything set up, though, I could relax and just enjoy myself.

What a beautiful day it was, too! Sunny and fair—if not just a bit humid—with a gentle breeze. It was a perfect summer day in Maine!

After getting rained out last year, I’m sure Dave was relieved and overjoyed.

Still Peaking

For my part, I got to set up next to a friend and her young daughter─former guests to Runamuk’s farmstay, turned devoted CSA members. Lindsay and Saffron have started their own urban farm up in Kingfield, selling gluten-free baked goods and home-grown vegetables from their front porch. They’ve named it “The Farm on Winter’s Hill”.

A total badass, Lindsay also operates “Still Peaking”, providing mountain bike workshops and one-on-one instruction, as well as guided rides throughout Maine. She’s a single mom working hard to raise a strong and independent daughter, while living her best and most authentic life. Naturally, that’s something that resonates with me and I think we both admire the other equally.

Lindsay offers mountain bike workshops and one-on-one instruction, and is a Registered Maine Guide providing guided rides throughout Maine.

The market-event provided us an opportunity to chat and catch up while we manned our respective tents. I got several of the most heartwarming hugs from Saffron, who is one of the sweetest little girls I’ve ever known. All afternoon, I sold veggies and bread, biscuits, cupcakes, crumb-bars, cookies and potato-and-lamb handpies to the good people of Western Maine.

Cash & Crash

People’s reactions to finding actual food at a pot-farmers’ market was priceless. Radishes were a surprising snack floating around the market, and there was a lot of excitement over my leeks. One gentleman, a fellow vendor at the market, waited till the end to come by, saying he’d been eying the leeks all afternoon. He was ridiculously giddy about them, warming my heart and flattering my ego, lol.

It was a really great day, generating a bit of extra cash that allowed me to make a much-needed payment on my electric utility. Once it was over, though, and I’d made my way back home to the farm, I crashed hard. After running in high-gear for the last 2 weeks, I knew I needed it and allowed myself to take Sunday off entirely. Only stepping in the garden to harvest green beans for my supper, I took not 1 but 2 naps that day!

How to Buy a Farm With No Money

After a couple of slow days, I found myself back in the office uploading my manuscript to Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing. My first-ever full-length book is now available to the world. Gulp!

Click the image to be redirected to my book at Amazon!

I don’t know what’s worse, the stress of writing the thing or the fear of having it read. For, now that it’s actually happened, I’m terrified to learn what people will think of it. It’s not a conventional reference guide. Along with the meaty information, I’ve included articles from my blog and farm-updates dating back to 2017 chronicling what the process was like first-hand. What if that arrangement is stupid? What if I did a horrible job? What if I suck as a writer? What if no one wants to pay $4.95 for some silly “guide to working with the FSA”?

That’s the risk we take as writers, I suppose. You pour yourself into a project, doing everything in your power to make it as good as it can possibly be. Then you take a deep breath and send it out into the world, hoping against hope you’re not the only one who likes it or finds value in your creation.

NOTE: If you’re reading this and would be interested in reviewing my book on Amazon, email me directly for a free copy!

A Degree of Separation

“You’ve got more layers than an onion!” This was the comment when I shared news of my book to the farm’s facebook community. And it’s true, I have a wide range of interests and passions, which is why I’ve decided to create a degree of separation between the farm-writing and the smut—in order to better promote each of them.

My agricultural interests will continue to live on at the Runamuk-stack, while “On Blackstone Mountain” and any future romance stories will be shuffled over to: Wild Hearts & Harvests, my new Substack! It’s currently still under construction, but if you’ve been following OBM, please consider this your invitation to join me there!

Taking it one step further, I’ve created a second Instagram account as well. To see plot-teasers and glimpses of my author-life, find me on Instagram at: @samantha.m.burns_author.

All of Our Dreams CAN Come True

Standing on the field in the golden light of late afternoon, Wendy the sheep pressed her head against my leg insistently for attention. Having eaten her supper, Beebe the Brave bounded off through the woods on the trail of some unseen trespasser, while I stood and surveyed my domain. 10 acres of pasture rolled out before me, the farmhouse at the far end with Black Hill behind it, the 40 acres of protected forest at my back, and now my first book out into the world.

Pride swelled within me at all I’ve accomplished in my (nearly) 44 years, followed closely by a wave of relief and immense joy that choked me, bringing tears to my eyes. My journey to farm-ownership was a long and grueling one. Buying a farm with no money is quite a trick, and more than one person along the way attempted to convince me to give it up. Even now, it’s not easy being a solo lady-farmer and mother amid the western mountains of Maine. It’s a hard life, financially, physically and mentally.

Yet, when I give serious consideration to the notion of taking an off-farm job I come full-circle back to the conclusion that I wouldn’t be any better off—financially speaking. Statistics show the current economy is such that single people across America and Europe are struggling to make ends meet. I’d be sacrificing all I’ve created at Runamuk and still be a broke-ass bitch. What’s more, I’d be stuck doing work I don’t enjoy for a company who doesn’t value me the way I deserve, and that’s a miserable existence.

Even if it makes me a societal outcast, I refuse to live my life that way. No, thank you.

We have this one life to live, my friends. Shouldn’t we all be running like we’re on fire towards our wildest dreams? Maybe it doesn’t work out and maybe you fail, but if you never try, you’ll never know. And sometimes success is just refusing to give up, when all others have quit the race.

Personally, I’d prefer to reach the end of my life knowing I’ve lived an existence true to my authentic self, rather than leave something unfinished or unsatisfied. Who knows what dreams might come true—if only we have the courage to pursue them?

Sending light and love to you and yours.

Your friendly neighborhood farmer,

Sam

Tipping is not mandatory, but always appreciated!

Thank you for following along with the story of this lady-farmer! It is truly a privilege to live this life serving my family and community, and protecting wildlife through agricultural conservation. Check back soon for more updates from the farm, and be sure to follow @RunamukAcres on Instagram or Facebook!