Day 7

I feel like I got a little workout today! Brought 13 flats of germinating seeds to the hoop house. We pulled more spinach that is going to seed, to make room for peppers that were planted on Feb 15, and have been under the grow-lights since then. We hauled wheelbarrows full of composted manure into the hoop house, and laid landscaping fabric. We planted 195 pepper plants. We moved some gravel around the pizza area and got more sand in the new sand box. We planted 166 watermelon seeds.

That sounds like a lot, huh?

Day 6

After a weekend home, I'm back on the farm! Even missing just a couple days, the trees in the valley seem to have exploded with green. As I look out at the rolling hills, what used to be the plain brownish-grayish trees surrounding me is now a soft, vibrant green. What a beautiful backdrop for the dark, rich dirt and the little sprouts fighting their way to the sun!

Day 4

Today, it was a little difficult to get out of bed! I suspect tomorrow will be a little worse.... I spent a lot of time laying straw over newly seeded dirt in an attempt to keep it from drying out. It was very windy, too, so I had to bend over quite a bit to get the straw in the right place without blowin away.

I also learned the difference between straw and hay. Not something normally taught in suburban public schools!

We talked a lot about chickens, too, and I find it amazing all the things I DON'T know. I think, we've only scratched the tip of that iceberg!

But, the seeds we planted on my first day here have started to germinate already! The circle of life has begun!

Day 3

More onions... Another 30 lbs, but RED this time! And more painting. Finished the trim boards and painted the floor of the pizza kitchen.

Collected 23 eggs from the chickens, and only got rained on a little. I'm sure all those onions would have liked more rain...hopefully tomorrow.

There are a few more projects to finish up before the wood-fired pizza nights start in May. Can't wait for that, too!

Then, the CSA's start and the other 2 interns arrive in June.

My back is sore today, and will be going to be VERY shortly!

Day 2 - April 13, 2010

Today is Day 2 of my farm internship! I'm having a blast and have already learned a lot.

Yesterday, I learned the routine for morning chicken chores, and I did it myself today. Not exactly rocket science, I know, but there is an electric fence involved...

When I was out to check on the laying hens at about 7:30, they had only laid 2 eggs. I went back later this afternoon and there were 23 more eggs!

Weird thing about chickens: They love to eat the eggs. Not the shells, and they can't break them open themselves, but they love the raw egg. Isn't that some kind of cannibalism?!? By the way, the family's dog Buddy loves them too! These eggs are a lot tougher than commercial eggs, too. We were literally throwing them on the ground, and they weren't breaking. We had to go back in to the pen and stomp on them to get them to break.

We also planted 30 pounds of 1/2"-1" onion bulbs today (think largest size of dog food bags) and primed some of the pieces of woodwork trim that will go in the intern rooms, and loaded up a 4' x 8' "wagon" with firewood.

Phew!

What would you do with the money if you suddenly received:

$100? I think I would do something impractical with $100. Maybe I'd buy a new wine kit (although, once made, the wine comes out to about $3 a bottle, so I'm actually saving money, here, right? That's not so impractical!?!). Or, maybe I'd use it for a nice dinner out, or some fancy ingredients I can't justify buying otherwise. Or, a fun, new gadget for the kitchen. And, maybe I could get a great new pair of shoes....

$1,000? This one's harder. I could accomplish a lot more with this. I could take a chunk out of the balance on the truck loan. I could buy some new tires. Maybe get the exhaust manifold fixed on the Jeep through a friend of a friend. I could pay off some littler bills that keep me awake at night. I could get some more dental work done. I could get a new oven that understands what the 350º setting really means. Oooh! I could get a KitchenAid mixer with the pasta maker attachment!

I could really mail in some of the donation forms I get. American Cancer Society, American Humane Society, American Lung Association, American Diabetes Association, Susan G. Komen Foundation, Lance Armstrong Foundation, ASPCA, Last Hope.

I could not have to worry about the mortgage payment this month. I could not worry about only having 20 hours scheduled at work for the week. I could get the fence in the backyard fixed. I could rent a dumpster and purge the mentally toxic junk that has accumulated in my house and garage. I could set up some organizational systems to help our lives run smoother.

I could talk my husband into taking his motorcycle in somewhere to get it fixed, so he wouldn't have to take the time to do it himself. I could get the other bike fixed, and sell it. I could take him clothes shopping. And maybe I could get a great new pair of shoes....

$1,000,000? I'd give away a lot of it. My kids, my family, my friends. Something desperately-needed, or always-wanted, or really-just-fun-to-have.

I'd find some really great land: 20 acres or so, with running water or a pond, woods, open areas for huge gardens and space for animals. Then, I'd build an awesome B&B on it. Maybe a few little cabins in the woods, too. Greenhouses, commercial kitchen, space for hobbies. Build all of this with an eye toward sustainability and maintain-ability. (Is that a word???)

The rest I would save. Create an emergency fund. A contingency fund. A nest egg. Whatever you want to call it. I don't need to have so much money that I can spend without thinking, but I want to have enough so I can regularly save money for the things that will need to be purchased. And maybe I could get a really great new pair of shoes....

The Countdown Begins

Ok. The Going Away Party is over, successfully, I think! It was so good to see everyone and to chat the night away.

Now, I've got just over a week to get ready for the internship. I need mud boots, rain gear, bed linens.... The list goes on.

But, hey... Lists??? I can do lists! I have the List Gene. Thanks, Mom and Dad! I know that List Gene will serve me well, just as it always has!