April-Deeply Watered
Since embarking on this pastoral journey we've learned time and again that in order to have the best chance of achieving fruition you must begin with a deep watering. I can hear the voices of those who taught us how to grow plants, "just really take your time to give all the trays a good, even, and deep watering". On our first foray in farming, we met as livestock apprentices. We learned that poultry survives subfreezing nights only if they have ample water to help their bodies regulate internal temperature. After all, water is the essence of life. As our little May said while coaching her brother on hydration, "we're basically just a bunch of water". It is evident that we apply the basic tenant of care to our children too :).
The world has spun its way into April and the forecasted rainfall for this opening day sits just above an inch. That's deep. Sometime around seven in the evening, the tap will open above the farm for enough hours to make a temporary pond on the west-most acreage. The neighbors' rogue ducks and geese will invite themselves over to roister in the accumulated rainfall. I'll close the blinds and attempt to distract myself as I wonder how the early broccoli planting will handle the beating. Perhaps if I can remind myself that an extreme rainfall is not the biggest challenge to my evening zenstate, my body will relax. Fight or flight should be reserved for the spring tornadoes which have been on display here in central ohio. Just think of it as a deep watering for that earth which will see hot summer sun in a matter of time.
It's just a great big April shower for all those May flowers that I long for in the winter months. Not to mention, the bedrock aquifer, which convinced us to start our farm on this very spot, will replenish its reserves from rains such as this. And in July when we tap into the supply, the water will flow freely when we need it most for our way of life. If you walk out to the field and look between the cover this time of the year, you can see quarter-inch holes dotting the ground. With the help of our healthy earth worm population, the ground is respiring and the topmost layers of soil have been activated by the frenzy of life there. An opportunist such as me realizes that the rhizosphere is ready to receive potato seed tubers and early spring transplants. Are we ready?
Are we "deeply watered" from our off season? The soil rests the winter-long no questions asked, and we humans should take note. But really, I should speak for myself in all fairness to Rich. I found myself a partner who aligns himself with the example set by the natural world and who encourages me to do the same. My Achilles' heel stubbornly resists me putting it up, while something within me yearns to stay busy. And how appropo that almost two months ago, I started to see the physical effects of an overbusied mind play out in my body. One of the remediating factors ironically was to drink a whole lot more water. Sometimes the metaphorical and physical worlds collide and send a stronger message in collaboration. Just as with any living system, the body tells you what you need if you learn to listen to it.
Yesterday on a sublimely sunny, still, sixty-degree day, I stepped out of the sun to grab a drink. The water trickled through me, tending to my tissues and satiating me on a cellular level just as it disseminates through the ground, delivering hydrogen to the tiniest rootlets of our plant life. I would say that we are collectively quenched by our winter season of reflection and restoration. We are ready to heed the call of the field.
Updates from the farm:
-Online Ordering: We are taking this week off of orders to allow for spring break. The shop will open again on Monday, April 8th.
-Spring Plant Sale: Save the date! We will be selling garden plants including vegetables, herbs and flowers. We will open our online shop per usual on Monday, May 13th and you can order any of our plants online with pick up in the Oakwood Farmers Market Lot on Saturday, May 18th anytime from 10-11:30.
-Goodbye to the sheep: We are selling our flock of Katahdin sheep as we've touched on before. They are due to leave the farm by the end of the month. It's bittersweet for us. But we are happy to be afforded more energy and time to tighten up the veggie ship.
-Field planting: the early start to the season has encouraged us to plant sooner. We have hardy crops such as broccoli, lettuce, kale, asian greens, etc going sooner than ever. We are so excited to get you the goods that much sooner this year if all goes to plan.
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