Fallow

Transplanting brassicas.

This year, I've devoted quite a bit of time and effort cultivating my online presence (although not lately). I've posted to this blog frequently, made connections with like-minded people, and kept up some great conversations. And for the most part, I've been missing lately.

Part of the reason for my absence is the (physically and emotionally demanding) full-time job at Beardsley Farm. I like what Beardsley does for the Knoxville community and I'm glad to be there.

This summer, I started visiting and working (volunteering time) at the farm where we've been getting our CSA for the last three years. Most recently, I've also put in a couple of days of work at another farm, working with Jim and his hot peppers. My time at the first farm started a change in me, and I'm not sure what to call it yet. It's a different awareness of farmers and their work, but that's not all. Being at both farms makes me exuberant and incredibly sad. I am so glad to have the chance to spend time with such hard-working and earnest people, but I hate to see them almost constantly so behind in their work. Jim, especially (because he tends his farm alone), tends to get discouraged. And all this has started affecting me personally--I want them to succeed, to be appreciated. More than anything, I want to help them. And for now, this means going to lend them my hands, my younger and less-tired body.

I hope you understand. I may not be around online as much. I may not offer canning classes for a little while. Please understand that I'm trying to put in effort where I think it'll count most.

Tennessee Love

Narrow Ridge Earth Literacy Center

A couple days ago, when the south part of Knoxville got hit by the incredible hail storm--"hail the size of baseballs"--I realized that I've lived in Tennessee for fourteen years (it was probably just as I was saying, "I've never seen anything like this, and I've lived here...how many years?!"). I've never lived anywhere else longer, and it's grown on me; I've grown to love it, especially after getting to know places like Beardsley Farm, A Place of the Heart Farm, and Narrow Ridge Earth Literacy Center.

A Place of the Heart Farm

This has been a somewhat difficult week: we lost electricity on Wednesday, and only had it back for a couple hours late last night, just to lose it again in the early morning. There's some damage to the house and our cars, but it's relatively minor; the experience has been more disorienting than anything. However, we went to a farmer's market preview, and got beautiful bread and a couple produce items. A farmer even gave us a small head of lettuce for our lunch salad when we said we didn't have power.
It may be a few days before I post again--even if we get electricity back today, I'll spend a few days catching up on cleaning, laundry, grading, and re-planting.