Potting On

I've completed my first week of living on the farm. It's had it's moments when I wondered, "what on earth have I done?" However, most of the time I am living in the moment, be it shoveling, seeding, feeding spoiled carrots to Franklin the donkey, potting on, or pulling up rotten boards that make up the barn floor.

I have written each and every day-- though not blogged-- and have really enjoyed the work aspect of the farm. Even though right now we are doing alot of pre-season preparation work that I don't find all that exciting: picking up limbs, trips to the city dump, cleaning the barn... I know it's necessary. Just perhaps not as rewarding as, weeding carrots or harvesting strawberries or bundling beets for CSA members.

And, in all honesty, we did have a day and 1/2 off this week.... On my first week... We got finished around 3:30pm on Tuesday (so Chris and I sped into town to get some laundry washed.) And we completed all the chores left for us Wednesday afternoon, and the farmer had other business to attend to Thursday... so we got to wander Washington County some more. We did exciting things like renewing our drivers licences and getting library cards. (Thus the internet access....)

Within my fifteen minutes remaining with the library internet, I'd like to tell you a few things I've learned just this week:

I won't be driving a tractor ... since I can't drive a standard. And that's a little disheartening. I feel like a pansy. Like a girl. Like a prissy NYC girl.

SPF applied at 8:30AM does not last throughout the day. One must reapply at lunchtime. And being in the greenhouse does not mean you are protected from the sun's rays.

Physical labor is tiring. Working 9-5, eating dinner at 6:00 and going to bed by 8:30 or 9:00pm is not unreasonable.

It felt incredibly reaffirming (and a bit successful) when the seeds I planted on my first day labled Kolibir (Kolrabi) and Moneta (Beets) popped up above the soil in their tiny cells. I was so fearful that somehow my entire tray would indeed not grow into little plants as they should.

I like the donkeys and chickens barn cat and two lazy dogs that sun in the front yard. The animals make the farm the farm. Sort of... until there are potatoes to dig up. I have been on the hunt for a kitten I keep hearing in the old pig pen but I haven't found him yet.

Even in a small barn apartment, our kitchen is a nice size and I'm happy to be cooking all of our meals again. Chris makes amazing over-easy eggs- just perfect with that warm yellow center that oozes nicely over the farm bread I purchased at the local Hanford grocer. (Eggs from the hens right outside our door.) It's a local bread, five ingredients and I mainly chose it because it was called "farm bread." I've made squash, brussels sprouts, rice and beans, avocado and tomato sandwiches and a nice bready-apple thing that I created this morning for breakfast. The only thing from the farm we've been able to eat at this point are shallots, onions and garlic from last year's harvest.

I feel good. I'm doing well. I need a tetanus shot (evidently you can get this from soil and dust and manure... all of which I'm digging in daily... Who knew?) But other than that we are well. The people we interact with are nice. The communities welcoming. These are farming counties... huge farms and hard workers. These people have mud on their boots and dust on their trucks and their businesses are closed on Sunday. It's nice to be a part of something bigger than me. Growing real, healthy food. It feels good.

Oh, and ending the day in a warm sunny spot with a glass of wine feels perfect. A slice of heaven.