Szia!: away goes august.

So it is now September, but it sure doesn't feel like it as I sit in my kitchen in shorts and a tank top a bit sweaty from standing over the hot stove cooking up some sweet corn and yellow wax beans. I am still amazed by the gourmet food that ends up on my plate for lunch everyday and the new recipes i have all the time and food I could possibly want to try out. We are in the process of planting the fall crops so I spent the whole morning shoveling heavy wet chicken shit onto new beds waiting to be planted. I never knew the value this stuff could have, but as our only method of fertilizing it is placed in high regard. I tried to remember that as I spent all my will power trying not to gag. seriously... I was struggling. After lunch I then had a welcomed change of scenery as some of us ventured across the highway that runs next to our fields to the huge old estate of the Bullitt family. This family once owned 1000 acres which is now mostly leased out to the surrounding commercial area, some conventional corn and soybean fields, and us. The original estate and its many outbuildings and stables and slave quarters look for the most part the same as they did 200 years ago, only now they are kept up by a few ground takers and a historical society. After a few minutes of driving across the highway and through the corn fields and the estate and down the long tree lined driveway and out along the sears, kohl’s and old navy parking lots, we pulled up to another part of the bullet property…the oldest lived in house in Jefferson county. here next to this house and in between the sea of mall parking lots our farm takes care of a small patch of berry bushes and fruit trees. I felt like I was stuck between time as I munched on raspberries wearing my straw hat and dirty clothes next to the stone outbuilding of this 200 year old house while watching the business men take their smoke break 50 yards away outside the huge oppressive office buildings and life sucking parking lots. I often find myself stuck between realities here, but that is the beauty of an urban farm holding its own in the midst of county clubs, golf courses, highways and parking lots.

Along with all the things I love about this farm and life here and the privilege of working and learning at such a unique farm for a wonderful farmer, I can’t help but long for the friendly bustling of neighborhoods, front porches, family and good friends. Maybe it is just my internal clock telling me it is time to start school again and have a schedule packed with things to do and places to go and people to see, but I do genuinely love and miss those very things. Hopefully the cooler weather and all the new sewing and craft projects I have started will boost my excitement as I look forward to the next 3 months.