PLANTING MARATHON! (I FINALLY FEEL LIKE A FARMER)

Well, aren’t we lucky! An entire day without rain. Actually, two. But today was the day the soil was dry enough to till. And with 100% rain forecast for tomorrow, it appears it may be the only day in the first half of May that tilling has the opportunity to occur. I feel eternally grateful that Dusty was able to squeeze in my needs this morning, in and around the zillion other tilling and dry day tasks that he was rushing around doing. The second he began tilling my late-season planting area, I dove in, with transplants, seeds, trench-digging hoe, clipboard, stakes, sharpies, and measuring devices flying in all directions. I had no time to lose. With only two hours between the soil prep and the time I needed to leave for doctor’s appointments in town, I was determined to do as much as possible in the fluffy new soil. I have had enough of planting after the pounding rains have compacted the ground.

I was in paradise. Today was one of those days when you realize that the depth of joy and contentment welling up inside is unsurpassable, and a pure sign that you are doing exactly what you ought to be. I finally feel like a farmer. I want to do this more now than ever. And right in tune with how a farmer ought to be prioritizing life, I called up and cancelled my doctor’s appointment. It seemed like the stupidest thing in the world to leave the field when this may be the one and only day I get to feel the warm, cool, softness that is newly tilled, moist soil in the sunshine. So my two hours turned into five (I didn’t cancel the massage appointment I had later in the day, as I knew I’d need it!). And I planted 14 varieties of dry bush beans (20’ each), a 100’ row of pole beans (10 varieties), transplanted garbanzos, corn, and storage onions, and marked beds for millet, quinoa, and soybeans. Everything is immaculately staked, labeled, and measured for ease of comparing yields. Rows are evenly spaced. Pole beans are marked for pole installation.

It’s been a challenging spring. The early stuff has lots of grass coming up already, because it wasn’t properly tilled (didn’t get the right weather). I gave it a good hoeing last night, though, so it’s fairly well under control. I wish you all the best despite the challenges. May your gardens also thrive in the face of cool temps and rain rain rain.