This week at my farm, the farmers were on vacation.
So a few of us farmer-adjacent people were in cahoots with nature and the forces of water, and were responsible for the keeping of the land and fowl while they were away. Myself, a chicken wrangler, and a niece and sister to the farmer took over. Ten days they’ve been gone. Said niece went off to college. Three markets I’ve handled, the irrigation of the carrots, a few very long days, and this week? -the covering of the chicken wrangler’s days off. Chicken chores do knock a person off her pedestal, I tell you. A farmfriend (actually, really) named Honey did harvest over the weekend in the middle and I’ve been washing as I find the time. Her name makes me feel like I’ve got on a good robe and Everything is going to work out fine. Zucchini still being the god of all things farm, there have been tractor trips out to the birds to feed them the spoils.
They are lucky birds, except for whatever is getting them in the night. I have walked the fences, not knowing where or how the creature higher-on-the-ladder is getting in. Motherfucker. Did I mention it has been quite warm? I think my sweat levels have been flat-out atrocious. And, this was my celebratory week, now that my school job has come to an end. It’s all just been so much harder than I expected. I can do it all, I can, but hard. its been hard.
I come to realize that I like work for work’s sake, but while it is good to know I can handle big things, I do like to turn it off, walk out and be free of it. I’ve got life at home, and I like to be part of it. This week I’ve had worry of the sorts that have kept me from sleeping well.
What if someone steals the truck? I don’t even know what kind of truck it is. What am I going to tell the cop, its a black truck. black. ? its a chevy. I got at least that far when i got to work the next day. black chevy pickup. Probably from after 2010.
What if I forgot to turn the water off at the house? Will the fucking coop float? Will the whole town run out of water?
How do I stop coyotes and fishers? Literally thought about owning a pistol today. I would have definitely shot, if i had been so armed. But no worries, its not guns that kill animals. Right? (ugh. fuck the gun rights people. keep your damn guns, just get rid of the fucking assault rifles, you dicks.)
sorry. okay. back to farm worries.
Can plants be hurt by too much water in the summer heat? Can i drown a swiss chard plant? What about the tomatoes? Will I know if they start exploding? Should I go in early again? Should I go now?
Sigh. My friends. I just want to sleep when I lie down. Just sleep. That’s it. I have napped this week and raised my children from the sofa in a stupor. That’s all I got this week. Maybe if i just keep saying Honey, and feel the nod to real, hopeful hippies everywhere, everything will work out. Maybe.
O, let us keep the faith, chickens. Let us keep the faith. Everything will work out okay.
Honey Honey Honey.
Love,
me.
