Selena Rosen
Family: Selena Rosen has two children, Nicole and Meyer, and two grandsons, Zeb and Roland
Town Life: “I am a writer and publisher. My first published work was in Marion Zimmerman Bradley’s Fantasy Magazine about 30 years ago. Since then I have published hundreds of stories and more than 20 novels. I got pulled into publishing kicking and screaming because what I really love to do is write, but since I work like a horse under praise, I have kept at it for 18 years. My publishing company is Yard Dog Press as in a good dog to have in a salvage yard.”
Country Life: “Castle Rock Farm is one and a half acres supplemented by another half acre my son lets me use to avoid mowing. Though small, the acreage is highly productive. I have 24 laying hens, White Brahmas and Barb Rocks from China. I am now trying to cross the two breeds because the Barb Rocks have excellent egg production while the White Brahmas are more temperature adaptive. I also have Nubian dairy goats, two does and a buck, which is about as much as the land can support. I milk two times per day and in the beginning get two to three gallons each day. I sell both my eggs and milk only by word-of-mouth rather than at a farmers market and often can’t meet the demand. Because I am a firm believer in using everything, I raise a few rabbits, selling young ones around Easter, using the litter as fertilizer, and keeping them in raised cages so chickens can get at the food they spill. The farm also contains a large produce and herb garden.”
Together: “Farming and writing are a perfect match for me. Farming provides stability and balance in my life. It gives me a lift after a bummer of a convention and brings me back to earth after I get full of myself because I won an award. A goat relieving itself on your boot tends to do that. The gritty details of farm life ground my writing in reality and farming fulfills my need for independence.”
Future: “I hope to find more ways to increase food production on the farm thus lowering my dependency upon grocery and feed stores. I also plan on continuing to write what I want which is made possible by owning my own publishing company.”
