Windmill Farm: Aches and Pains and Loving the Farming Life

Last evening, I thought I was going to die as every muscle in my body ached. I have been cutting back; pruning; hedging; raking; digging and then starting up again the next day. Nature has just gone crazy while I thought we were still in winter! Here at Windmill Farm, we have about 2 acres that encompass the house, shop, garden shed, chicken coop, garage, lawns, old fruit tree orchard and gardens. The back of the property has around 3 1/2 acres which is where we grow all our vegetables for our Community Supportive Agriculture (CSA) business, have our pomegranate trees and another 30+ fruit trees.

2012 CSA Harvest

When we have warm weather early, like we have had these last few weeks, the whole property just pops into action and needs attention. We can go crazy if we see the whole farm at one time needing something done, but we just have to focus on one section at a time. Luckily for me, I have my wonderful Frank who I have pretty well trained enough now after 44 years, to ask me in the morning what I need him to do!!! Aren't I a lucky farmer girl? While I was cutting back the roses and hydrangeas, cutting back that horrid, horrid ivy (which Frank just loves); cutting back all the Mum dead branches from the late fall blooming; raking up the leaves in the flower beds, +++; Frank was discing the big field in the back where we plant melons; he disced all the other vegetable planting areas and cemented in the new fence poles for the enlarged chicken run. And then we just dropped into our Mom and Pop chairs last evening and took 3 Advil pills each.

This is what having a small farm is about, a big enough property to do what you love to do, but it isn't a large farm where you may have the funds to hire help that does the work for you! But Frank and I would not have it any other way and in spite of morning to night work; in spite of the worries about the weather; in spite of the financial worries; in spite of all the aches and pains, when you smell that beautiful Gridley soil being turned over in the fields; when I get my vegetable seeds in the mail; when I see the apricot trees blooming like they are doing today, we are really Blessed to be able to be living a life that we want to live. We just wished our bodies were 20 years younger.