Since early March I have not had too much to get excited about. Like you, I have spent a lot of time cleaning out closets, reorganizing drawers, cabinets, and now I can add teacher to my resume. I’ve been cooking more meals than I have in years—and I used to think I cooked a lot. On top of all that, I’ve been worrying about going to the grocery store, wondering how much I should buy, and if it is going to be enough for 2-3 weeks. Being forced to find a new normal is scary and stressful amidst all the everyday duties of running a household. Finding moments of joy seemed out of reach for the time being. So when the weather made a turn for a few dry days, I knew it was time to get grounded again and connect with the earth.
Reconnecting with the Earth
It was a blessing to have a few days that were dry enough to get in the yard to do some early gardening. Getting our hands in the ground with meaningful intentions, planting seeds, and tiny plants that will soon turn into beautiful green produce. Leaf lettuce, kale, mustard greens, celery, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli. These hardy cold crop plants tolerate the chilly unstable weather and temperatures cooler than 70 degrees.
Because of the extra time we had due to COVID-19 this spring, we were able to get a big jump on projects around the farm. We were able to add new landscaping, mulch, and paint. We even found an old hammock hidden in our garden shed that needed a little love and is now good as new!
The Arrival of Our New Freinds
This past weekend we were finally handed some excitement. We welcomed hundreds of tiny new friends to our farm: Bees! We currently have a flock of 18 laying hens that provide us with fresh eggs daily, 3 families of geese, 2 families of Mallard ducks, 7 horses, 2 baby turtles, and 2 cats that roam the house and barns.
My family has been wanting to add bees to our farm for a few years and are excited about this new adventure. We’re looking forward to learning about protecting and caring for the hive and, of course, eventually being able to harvest some honey!
My 12-year-old son, with whom I share many of the same interests, is old enough to play an active part in beekeeping, just as he did 8 years ago when we began raising chickens. It has been a blessing to live on a farm caring for animals that provide our family and friends with food, enjoyment, and teach lessons in responsibility. Spending time in the garden and teaching my son to plant seeds, tie up tomato vines, and know when to harvest, then sharing that joy one step further by cooking with the fruits of our harvest has all been a huge relief.
Click here to see a video of my new hive!
Learn to Find Joy Again
Giving my son the opportunity to grow and learn in this kind of environment brings me joy! The gift of watching him embrace this life fills me with excitement and anticipation to see him take the lead and someday share the same kind of joy with a family of his own
Best of luck finding your own joy in the time of Covid. And remember to Live Your Value, one choice at a time!
