Summer Hustle
Oh my oh my oh my! We are working so darn hard over here that we haven't had much time to write a blog post. The good thing about these is it gives us time to reflect. Something we don't allow ourselves to do very often. Our lambs are growing fast. I think they are done giving birth at 23 lambs. Waking up every day and searching for new little lambs was such a treat! And even though it's sad that it's over, it's so fun to watch them especially at dusk. They run and jump and play and head butt and I love it. The fields are growing so fast and producing so much. As soon as your turn your head away from one field and put your attention on something new, it is over grown with weeds. You look at it and think, now how on earth did that happen?
We've had a nice balance of sun and rain so the plants are loving it. Today is overcast and rainy. We are all loving a bit of respite from the crazy heat that has been practically intolerable.
We've started two new markets this week in addition to Richland Park. On Tuesday I went to the Centerville Farmers Market. Centerville is the county seat of Hickman County (our county). It was so great to get to know some locals and start to establish a presence there. Everyone was so sweet and I'm really excited to go back. They provide their own tables so I don't have to drive the big ole truck, I can take the little car! woo!
We got a kitten! Thanks to Rough Draft Farmstead! He's so cute. At first I thought I was not going to like him cause I'm just not a cat person. Turns out he is charming, cuddly, funny, and beautiful. He also killed his first mouse today and we were so proud! Thanks kitten! We're not sure what to name him yet. Here are the contenders: Zoe (after our old dog who died), Stormy, Suda (from the ethereal mind of my 2 year old nephew), or Cabbage. We love all these names and just can't decide. Please, let us know if you think of something!
I have officially quit my job to be a full time farmer and really put some love and energy into this place that is our business, our lives, our family and our home. We want to create a financially, socially, environmentally sustainable place where people want to support us, the environmental message our farming practices reflect, and the high quality food we produce. We hope that we are becoming the high quality humans we want to be and that people will want to be around. I am ready to fully dedicate my time to this mission and I feel very excited about all of the possibilities and ways to engage and challenge my creativity and skills. I am surprised by how far we've already come in such a short time and to see the farmer my husband has become in such a short time. He is confident in his decisions and a dedicated laborer and delegator of tasks. I didn't know he could work so hard. I hope my joining him in this endeavor full time can lighten his load. He's amazing.
We're less good at feeding ourselves now that our WWOOFers are gone and we have no one to cook for and we're working a lot and real tired. But my cousin, Sarah, is here and she has inspired us to make real food again! Because you can't let someone visit your farm and not have a high quality farm meal. We also have a new WWOOFer who comes out once or twice a week from Nashville! We're excited to have her and she's already proved helpful and a sweet person. Welcome, Regan! We are currently interviewing other WWOOFers to help for the rest of the summer so we have an excuse to cook and not just eat popcorn at the end of the very long day. HA! As our friend said it's like the cobbler whose kids don't have shoes. The farmers are too tired to cook their own produce! It will get easier. We hope. And even though it's tough it is so satisfying and worth it. We wouldn't do it any other way.
-Lizzie
