money and faith

(Garden under water-there's chives and clover and many a submerged herb under there!)


The previous days here on the farm, and in most of central Illinois have been wet, wild, wondrous with lightening shows and a basement full of water. The fields will still yield, the geese seem happy and the corn all around is growing at a break neck speed. The weather again, as of this writing- is threatening to unleash more torrents of rain, whining winds out of the south and as is predicted, severe thunderstorms. I wish I could plant the Fava beans next to the potatoes, wished I could insure the hen house would not leak...but this last week, this whirlwind first week on the farm- has really kept me hopping. So much so, that I've hurt my back already, had to have a massage yesterday and must rest some more today. AAAARRRRGGGHHH! I'm the gal you'd see out in her fields doing yoga stretches, curling up in a ball and working out the strains. I'm really good at taking care of myself so that I might outlast the weeds and the weather. But...to no avail, don't know what spin or misstep I took to throw me out of line, ibuprofen is my constant companion. So today, I write. And later...finances, and paper work and deciding whether to go in debt on a new tractor, getting rid of the too big Kubota that is not as versatile as I need it to be. Besides, if you've kept up with the web log here, you know that I hit things all to often with my too big tractor. I even told the sales man that, he looked at me like I was a dangerous person, probably went to the post office afterward to see if I was on the top ten list. Tractor smashing fiend. So- a smaller model with a belly mower, smaller bucket, and a smaller tiller. Or, I could stay out of debt and try a used model. But then I'd be dealing with the previous owner's previous problems, and for a working girl non-mechanic type- that would be one big headache. I've had old tractors before-God I loved 'em...and could work on them, heck- anybody can figure out an old Ford 8N, there's just not alot to go wrong there, but problem is- I think I spent more time working on the tractor than I spent working with it. I wish I could call this a leap of faith- but money and faith have little in common in my book. I have to make the decisions here, have to decide if my little patch here can sustain a payment. Thus far, I've been pretty lucky, frugal- but I'm doing to much work with the old back and not enough with the joy stick and the powerful hydraulics of the Kubota. Smaller bucket-smaller tiller, oh the places I could get into! The manure I could move here and there!
Hope this day finds you high and dry...take care-

way to go...

It's a good day to kick back. Wind is blowing, rain is on the way, the grass is growing but the mower is broke down, the weed eater lays there at the ready, but I'm not ready to yield it...yet. I could pull the tractor out and till the bed for the new herbs out in the shed, 113 in all. I could beat the rain drops, I'm sure I could get that chore done- but, I'm not quite awake enough to manage getting the tractor out of the shed without hitting anything. Even on a clear eyed day, I hit things with the tractor. It's too big, really- and the bucket attachment on the front just naturally bumps into things...like the house. Yep, I tore the corner off trying to get the old cement stoop off the back of the house. I was brush hogging last summer and turned the corner to tightly and punched a big hole in the shed. Geez, I am dangerous with that thing.

And I can't truly lay back, I have work at 10:30- but still, there is time between then and now to get that tilling done. Before it rains. Some days, like this- find me not all that hopping to do much of anything. More caffeine should do it, or putting limits on myself, like- no mushroom hunting after work if that chore is not done. I mean it missy, get your butt in gear. It's kind of hard to argue with myself, especially when I take that tone. So- not much profoundness to be found here today folks, unless there's a lesson there for me or you...like diligence even when I'm diligently ignoring the chores. Aaaahhhh well, I'm through combatting(did I just make that word up?) myself, I'll head out to the shed in 15 minutes, won't take long to do what I've got to do- besides, I'll make the Robin's happy with the open earth buffet of fat worms, so I'll do it for them. And me. Being productive, getting it done is like slapping myself on the back and saying, "Way to go!!" OK, I've got a ways to go, getting on it...take care.

on the farm time

Begin again. And again. And again...that's been my experience, to start and stop many times over. The cold winter weekend, for it does feel like winter back stepped a bit and shoved Spring aside for a few days- visited my farm, my lettuces and sun thirsty beets- laying a bit of a frost blanket atop their new green tops. I haven't been out to see the damage if any, of course I hope that it wasn't permanent, that the new seedlings might shake it off, and begin again- to grow. We farmers are a stubborn bunch. We like to get ahead of the weather, the rain and snow- and put our little patch of earth into early production. And then there is April, a month that takes it's sweet time to warm up to it's place on the calendar. In my memory, though- it has proven to be always the month that first surprises us with the greens, the new bright greens, and also the snows. The big snows, and the freezes- like last year's fruit robbing ice storm, just about this time. And still, hopeful romantic farmer that I am, I still planted the seeds at a time that might place their growth in jeopardy. Perhaps the freezes, the frosts, the rains- will make my little plants stronger in their weakest parts. Perhaps if only sun would shine, and just the right amount of rain would fall- that kind of neutral balance would create boring produce- to nice, to bland, to non descriptive. "Here's some nice carrots- their orange and sweet, and the story behind them is a real yawner. I planted them and they grew. Period." Oh no, give me something to talk about, to show- to tell their story. "These carrots took three plantings before I could get a crop...you know the weather has been unrelenting." And then the real stories begin. Now my customer can relate, telling of their own trials with the weather. And now the carrot becomes a treasure, a trophy of sorts- that speaks of the beginnings, again, and again...Good day to you, I am off the clock and on the farm time. Beautiful busy day ahead. Good talking with you, take care-