A perfect evening...

I know I said my last blog was the last one for the year, but tonight is such a huge part in my little life that I have to share.
Tonight was the graduation ceremony for my cultivating success class. We all met at Xinh's, an incredible restaurant in Shelton. There were about 20 of us...the people from class, the sponsors of the program, and several of the various guest speakers we had during our twelve weeks. I had quite the entourage supporting me in my endeavor. Mariah was there, and so were mom and super steve.
The food was incredible. We had oysters, mussels, deep fried geo duck...(pronounced gooey duck.) We had pork eggrolls, and rice with chicken curry and prawn linguine. It was all some of the best food I have had in a long time!
After we ate, it was time for presentations to start. We were supposed to present our "Farm Plan", and we were supposed to take 10 minutes. Well I've worked on mine for 4 days. Literally, 8 hours a day.
I did a folding display board of the property. Very detailed showing the pasture, forests, wetlands, shrubbery areas etc. I even made the folding flaps in front into barn doors with my farm name on the front! It looked marvelous! (In a 4th grade science fair kind of way).
My great plan was to go after the guy in our class who hums to himself and smells like cat pee. Surely if I went after him, my presentation would be stellar, and any nervousness would disapate after watching his presentation. Well...he didn't show. So I planned on going somewhere in the middle...but definitely not first.
Well right before one of the ladies went, Super Steve pulled me aside and asked me if I could go second because my mom wasn't feeling well... How could I deny that? So I volunteered to go second.
As soon as I got up and started my presentation, cameras started flashing like the damn paparazzi from my right. I stopped my speech and said, "As you've probably guessed, these are my parents." Everyone laughed and I continued with my presentation. When I opened my board to reveal my property diagram, everyone oohed and aahed....literally...it was kind of cool. About half way through, I noticed you could have heard a flea fart in the restaurant....Every one...at EVERY table was watching and listening....yikes. I did great! I was a little nervous...but I was talking about my farm! One of my favorite things in the world!
I felt a lot better when I was done....and then noticed mom and Sneaky super steve didn't leave....for another hour and a half. Way to go steve! I've got your number!
The other presentations were great... It was so nice to sit with a huge group of people and discuss fruit trees, compost and animals without having one person raise their eyebrow at me... Mariah actually didn't seem bored either!
SO I am an official graduate in cultivating success. I have an official certificate I am going to frame and hang in the barn!
I've met some incredible new friends and some wonderful contacts and resources. This 12 week class has been a wonderful and fun start for me.
I'M A REAL FARMER NOW!!!! Well...at least that's what the paper says...
So...what's next? New Year's Day I will post goals for next year for the farm. But for now...I think I'm going to go order some turkeys....
Thank you again to mom, Sneaky super steve, and my Mariah for supporting me in my dreams, regardless of how grand and elaborate they are. I love you all.
-Becky