The joy of a Farm is it is ever changing. The challenge of a Farm is it is ever changing.

The frustrations of a Farm is… yup, you guessed it.

These last few weeks have been particularly challenging for a few reasons but I will throw the gauntlet of largest responsibility at the feet of the weather. Like, pick a season, already!

Here in NH, it was 90+ degrees outside the week before Memorial Day… then in the mid-40’s over Memorial Day weekend (we had a fire in the fireplace… it was THAT chilly), nice for 4 days, then 90+ for about 5 days straight… (today it is going to hit 86 with gross humidity just like the last 5 days, adding about 4-6 degrees in ‘feels like’ temps…so, still 90. UGH)

Friends, I hate hot weather. Let alone hot weather with oppressive humidity. LOL. This meme sums it up for me perfectly:

Add to this, our first camping trip (which was amazing btw… and a much needed mental reset) which added a new challenge considering we were still bringing our toddler to daycare. Basically, we’d wake up around 6-7a, get some quick breakfast into her then head back to our house (we tend to camp close to our house until we process our meat flock … until then, we have daily chores with them, monitoring food and water and letting them out/putting them up as they are purely on pasture without a protected run…)

Once home, I get a bit more food into her, and pack her meals for the day. We then head out to her school and after, I head back to handle the chicken chores and water the garden if needed and THEN head back to camp and have my first cup of coffee.

Yes, you read that right.

First cup… after about 2.5 hours of work.

That cup is GLORIOUS, folks.

Hubs handles the kiddo pickup, then drops her at camp with me who handles her dinner and some activities while he goes back and does the end of day chicken chores, cleans the baby’s cups and lunch containers, and preps for the following morning’s ‘get ready for school’ routine.

Then it’s back to camp, bedtime routine starting about an hour later than usual as there’s no blackout curtains in the popup (but I’m working on a plan…. LOL) and then about an hour+ of just chilling with a completely overtired bundle of chaos (albeit ADORABLE CHAOS) until she passes out in the bunk then Mommy and Daddy can have dinner.

That first night was TOUGH. The subsequent nights/mornings were totally fine.

The days?? CATHARTIC. Normally we have classic rock playing on the AM/FM and are snacking all day, reading or gaming, etc. This time? No music, just the sound of nature. I read, worked on the new content feature, napped, just generally absorbed the raw beauty of our campsite and well just re-charged my batteries. Hubs? He was able to get at least two kayak/fishing adventures in each day, was able to birdwatch a LOT and also read/re-charged.

It was just what we needed (and made the extra work in the mornings and nights totally worthwhile!)

I think one of the most important things I accomplished while we were camping was a commitment outline for the next 6 months. Why? I can dive headlong into new projects all I want… but if I fail to complete things? Well, eventually I will look around and it will be half accomplished ideas EVERY-WHERE. It felt really good to get down what I wanted to FINISH and be able to have hubs on the same page.

Once back… well…

1. Our prehistoric snapping turtle began her annual destruction of the garden beds that weren’t reinforced. (After 4 days straight… she left us alone today…. maybe she laid all her eggs? I’m not holding my breath though… I bet she’s back in a few days…her name is BIG B, and for anyone not familiar with our annual ‘guest’ she is massive and at least 25 years old.. most likely much MUCH older.)
2. Our toddler caught a cold from daycare and was MISERABLE until this morning.
3. The above things happened when started to hit 90+ degrees with 60-90% humidity.

A few good things happened too…

1. my first every peony opened!
2. my established rose bushes popped!
3. the anemones just keep impressing me… and somehow we have a pink one as part of the whites I planted
4. my David Austin Roses arrived (kind of in bad shape most likely due to the heat, but they’re here! WOOP WOOP!)

So it hasn’t ALL been a challenge.

Buuuuut- I feel like I’ve been out of commission for about 10 days. Between our camp trip and then the last 5 days handling the toddler… everything was pretty much put on hold.

And that’s ok.

It’s hard sometimes to remember that, as when plans fall through we often look at it as failures, but it is totally fine to hit PAUSE, whether on purpose or due to external factors. The most important thing is to make sure your commitment and intent stays focused when you are able to hit that PLAY button again.

So yeah. I’m ready to be back outside in the garden being productive!

Hoping to get the following done before the weekend:

• some finishes in the garden in terms of final plantings (and repairs from BIG B’s destruction of the bean bed)
• some succession seed starting (garlic will be harvested in about 2 -3 weeks and then we replant that bed for the Fall)
• outline first pod of the new content
• meet with a close friend/colleague about a new endeavor we are working on
• SELF-CARE (even if it is just a nap, folks)
• prep for VISITORS (*squeeee!* One of my besties is heading up to visit us for the first time in about a year and a half! I can’t wait… )

In short, SH*T happens, everyone.

And it happened a LOT over the last week and a half…

Now, take some deep breaths and get back at it!

—–> Notice though, no new food posts (those come next week). Think cool, quick to put together meals with tons of flavor and seasonal veggies.

—–> No Mac Challenges (thanks heat and humidity…. NOT macs best baking weather in a house with no AC other than bedrooms.)

—–> Next Top 5 Grows comes next week, too (DRIED BEANS, folks!)

The exciting thing, is we are also about to start sharing recipes of preserving and using the produce from our previous Top 5 Grows posts… Here are a few to expect:

• Garlic Scape Pesto
• Pickled Scapes
• Southern Collard Greens

Good things are coming, friends!

One last thing: if you haven’t had a chance to pop into the new content announcement post and answer the questions about frequency/scope, head on over (Take 5: MM), I would LOVE to get your input!