As I sit inside, sipping on a glass of my favorite wine, I can hear the wind howling outside. Another storm is rolling in tonight and I am thankful for a moment of peace and quiet before it arrives.

Lately, it has felt as if we are in constant motion all day long. We wake up and go straight into our daily tasks: feeding and caring for the chickens and geese, rotating the sheep onto fresh grass (which means moving them at least every 24 hrs), planting more fruit trees and shrubs in the food forest, and watering, seeding and transplanting in the hoop house and outside. All of that, in addition to preparing three meals a day, running after a one year old, and playing with the dogs, has kept us in motion from dawn to dusk.

It has been very busy, to say the least. The growth and changes on the farm are so exciting, but in the past when we have had big changes on the farm, we have also had help from family and friends to accomplish all of the tasks. Now with the pandemic, we are feeling the distance it has created not only socially, but physically. We rely on so many people in our lives to help us on the farm and their hard work, whether it be babysitting the baby for a few hours, helping do chores, or cleaning out chicken coops, is so crucial in getting jobs done quickly and efficiently. But because much of that help is not possible or practical right now, it has fallen solely on our shoulders. And I’d be lying if I said it has been easy juggling it all. In all honesty, by the end of the day Jack and I are both exhausted and I personally have found myself overwhelmed by the workload. But, as much as I miss my family and friends and despite how much I wish I could ask for the physical help and support I desperately want right now, I know that now is simply not the time and that I am able to bear and do so much more than I think I am capable of.

While the past few weeks have not been easy, I know that this is simply a busy time on the farm and the constant doings will ebb and flow as spring turns to summer and summer turns to fall. Waking up from a slow winter to a full and vibrant spring is always a bit of a shock to the system, especially with everything else going on in our world right now. But, I know that the work required of me now will result in a bountiful summer and fall.

Until then, I will continue to put in the hard work and dream of baskets full of fresh vegetables to enjoy this summer with my family.

Until next time,

Farmer Kinzie