Sunday, March 8, 2009

Springing

It's beginning to seem rather Spring-ish with sunshine and warm temperatures and green things pushing up out of the ground. Here at the farm things are Getting Done -- the barn roof gets a new tin patch, fences are being repaired, ground plowed for potatoes, trees cut for fire wood and more mushroom logs -- there's even talk of a milk cow and a couple of pigs -- though nothing definite yet.



Every spring is like this -- we burst with energy and the weather, no longer cold but not yet hot, makes everything seem possible. And this spring, with the dire state of the economy, getting the most out of the farm seems like an important priority.

With the best will in the world, it's still going to take time to turn things around and I think of our predecessor here -- Clifford -- who said of the Great Depression, "Hit didn't make much difference to us -- we went on doing what we always had done and eating what we always had et -- there was times, though, we had cornbread for breakfast for we couldn't afford biscuit flour."



We moved to the farm during the oil crisis of the seventies, always with the belief that if things got really bad, we'd be better off here than most anywhere else.

It still feels that way.

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6 comments:

Carol Murdock said...

Vicki......it feels good to know Spring is almost here doesn't it?
Eric has plowed up this huge garden. I'm wondering how between our bad backs and knees we are going to work it but I guess my old
" where there's a will" will get it done. Our surprise visit from the geese headed north gives me real hope winter is over!I'm busting at the seams to go to the Nursery today and see what's new!

Vicki Lane said...

My nursery visit will have to be a little postponed as we can still get snow (ahh ... I remember the Great Blizzard of '93 -- March, it was -- Spring Break and the house full of college kids . . .)

But I am going to plant some red onion sets today!

Anonymous said...

We planted some spinach and arugula yesterday in hopes that it would be up in a few weeks. Gardening this time of year is such an exercise in faith! But, the snow has melted, the crocuses have poked their noses above ground and I've seen snowdrops blooming so my faith is holding!

Vicki Lane said...

For me, ALL gardening is an exercise in faith -- faith that the cows won't get out and eat the corn, that there will be some rain, that there won't be too much rain, that the voles won't eat the peas -- actually, I've given up on that one. I'm pretty sure they WILL eat the peas.

Susan M. Bell said...

My yard is so full of mole holes (Or is it vole holes? And what's the difference anyway?), and I'm sure I'll lose some of my garden to the little critters. What the heck, they have to eat too. Maybe Muffin can earn her keep this year. She seems to like catching the little critters and leaving them on the porch for us. (Such a wonderful little present. Guess she thinks we need help in the hunting department.)

Pat in east TN said...

After last weeks cold and snow, the past 3 days have been beautiful here and I've been outside working in my garden areas, as well as my berries. Just getting rid of weeds mostly. I do hope the weather stays this way, but ....... Yep, the Blizzard of '93 is always in the back of my mind. Mother Nature can play tricks on us.