Loving the Little Things: Summer Week #6 – 7/10/24

Loving the Little Things

Farming has its stresses, for sure. Undoubtedly you will learn about many of them as we move together through the season. As farmers, we are really good at talking about what’s stressful. There’s too much rain! There’s not enough rain! It’s too hot. It’s too cold. The bugs are bad. The hail came through, etc. etc.

Under all the stress of weather I can’t control, is a deep deep love for farming. I love my job.

I don’t even know where to begin!

I love…
-Catching and freeing butterflies that get stuck in the greenhouse.
-Farm events where the people we feed are roaming the fields and delighting in what is every day normality to us.
– My kids’ excitement when the first sungolds come on.
– Flowing with the season in my work – my work is distinctly different every season of the year.
– Moving my body being integral to my occupation.
– The first seasonal tastes…. nothing ever compares to that joy.
– Watering plants in my pajamas on a Sunday morning.
– Farm dogs and the silly joy they bring.
– Walking out into the fields to grab something fresh for dinner.
– Driving the old Hydro 84 transplant tractor.
– Getting to know new folks every season.
– Having loyal returning employees who share a deep commitment to feeding people.
– Yellow ladybugs.
– The cycle and stress of big tasks ahead, followed by the relief of getting them done.
– Managing the crew, the way it pulls on some of my best strengths.
– The constant soundtrack of birds that accompanies our work.
– The welcome relief of a summer breeze… where you can thank your body for sweating and providing its own natural air conditioner.
– Audiobook time when I’m on the greenhouse seeder.
– The first smell of tomato leaves in the greenhouse each April.
– Creating the field quilt of vegetables…. bed by bed, field by field.
– The smell of freshly harvested basil.
– Quiet, snowy office days.
– Seeing trucks full of food go out on delivery.
– Witnessing my crew members becoming friends.
– The laughter of the pack shed team carrying across the fields.
– The moment when we take off the first row covers of the spring kale and brussels fields and a mosaic of greens and green blue colors are revealed.

There’s so many many more!

It’s the little things, the small joys added together that make me love my job!

Thank you for your support,
Farmer Cassie