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Hi Everyone,
Sometimes life can be a little hard—and during those times the smallest things can bring a touch of sunshine into our hearts. When one of the daffodils bloomed in the Cottage Garden I just had to pick it and bring it inside so that I could enjoy every second of its bloom. It was so bright and cheery and I was sad when its sunshine began to fade. Last week was full of ups and downs—I guess you can say it was full of normal life for I do not know of anyone whose life doesn’t mimic a rollercoaster.
A month ago we were asked to bring my Aunt Barbie into live with us. She was suffering from dementia and needed someone to be with her round the clock. Aunt Barbie lived in Tennessee, and all her family there worked. We are here on the farm all the time—not to mention the food is great and the farm life is wonderful. Aunt Barbie enjoyed the food, but farm life was not her cup of tea—she liked shopping over milking cows. Before my Aunt came down to live with us we talked with a Master Herbalist and she told us that she thought that she could help my Aunt to overcome her health problems and get back to a normal life. It took a month to get an appointment with the herbalist and she gave some great advice, and was very helpful (that happened last Monday)—but before we could implement anything she had suggested my Aunt became a little more than we could handle and we had to send her back home to her sons. It was very sad, and Mama has struggled greatly—for her it was like seeing light at the end of the tunnel and then the tunnel caves in. My Aunt left Wednesday and the only good thing was that we got to visit with one of my cousins whom I haven’t seen in eleven years. We just pray that her sons are able to implement what the herbalist suggested and that my Aunt Barbie will have a chance to “live” again.
How many cows do you think you should be able to milk in an hour? Usually I can milk about six an hour—but last Tuesday it was only two! I was milking my first two cows when my milking claws malfunctioned and I had to fix them. While I was dealing with that problem two feeder cows on Mama’s side (she was still inside doing the breakfast dishes) decided to take turns pooping—covering the whole area pretty thoroughly. So by the time I got my problem fixed and Mama’s milking area all cleaned up a whole hour had passed and I had only managed to milk two cows. Thankfully every day isn’t that challenging.
Thursday brought us new help on the farm—Carlos. He grew up in Colombia on his parent’s farm. They had a 1000 cow dairy, and grew all kinds of fruits and vegetables. His mother ran a restaurant for 35 years and sourced the food from right off their farm. Carlos learned it all and tagged along with all the natural vets and learned even more—becoming a natural vet himself in Colombia. Then the Cartels came in and the life they lived was over. He moved to Chile, then to the United States and even spent some time in Canada before settling on a farm of his own her in north Florida. Carlos knows animal health, soil health, carpentry, mechanics—and milking. He will only be helping us a few days a week—but the knowledge and skills he brings to the farm will be greatly appreciated. It was Carlos who helped us figure out what was flavoring our milk a few weeks ago—pepper grass! A weed that was taking over our pastures—which has now been mowed down and the cows have to graze different pastures until the weed is gone. It is amazing how what a cow eats (or a human) can flavor the milk. I knew that onions and garlic could flavor milk and was always grateful that we didn’t live where those grew wild in the pastures. I was talking with other farmers today at a soil gathering and someone mentioned that we were some of those who had been farming the longest in the group—but I had to admit that years doesn’t mean anything because something always seems to come along and make you feel like you are still in kindergarten. Just when you think you have learned a lot you realize you know very little after all.
Martha’s Vineyard (Mama’s dream vineyard patterned after one of Martha Washington’s gardens) has been a work in progress for at least 4 years now. Some years more things have grown in it than other years—and some years nothing. Permanent residences are five grape vines started from grapes fed to our pigs about 6 years ago and two Orange Tangerine roses on either side of the entrance arbor. There are spaces for more grape vines—but they need to be purchased still. Last year I realized that the middle of the garden is the best place for me to grow pumpkins and along one of the edges I grow the roselles. Mama has always dreamed of a flower border 4 to 5 feet wide all the way around the perimeter of the garden—but the tiller has been broke for the last few years and it is too much ground to dig out the grass and weeds by hand. A few weeks ago Papa hired the neighbor mechanic to fix the tiller and last Thursday Micah put it to the test. The outside border got all tilled up and the strip for the roselles. Micah made the first strip around the pumpkin patch and then the belt fell off—it was stretched out and needed a new one (which we were able to get on Friday). Now I need to order some bulk flower seeds and Lord willing we shall have a flower border this year. It will not be perfectly weed-free or grass-free—but hopefully the flowers will grow faster than the grasses or weeds.
While Micah was tilling in Martha’s Vineyard I was busy transplanting in the East Garden. I had cantaloupe, watermelons, cosmos, zinnias, and Tithonia. I was hoping to get the pumpkins transplanted—but hopefully the area can be finished being tilled tomorrow and I can get them planted on Tuesday. The first batches of green beans were picked on Saturday, and more will be ready tomorrow (Monday). Then Mama and I will have to get them all snapped and canned—so I do not think that I shall be able to do any planting tomorrow.
Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon were spent with a research team that is studying Conventional vs. Regenerative farming. Ecdysis Foundation is all about grower-focused research to transform agriculture with regenerative principles. We will be a part of their “Project Avalanche” which is about enabling farmers to take science into their own hands. Bringing people together in regional learning cohorts where farmers are provided with the tools to measure progress on their own farms. It is very interesting and was nice to visit with other farmers in the area.
Serving you with Gladness,
Tiare