Weekend Warriors

It is certainly true that operating a farm, even a small hobby farm like ours is a full-time occupation. Thete isn’t a single day that we could just lay around the house and ignore the things that need done.

It feels pretty hectic at times during the week when we have so many other things vying for our time. There aren’t many big projects scheduled between Monday and Friday.

When the rooster crows on Saturday mornings, it usually marks the beginning of two very busy days.

For example, this past Saturday we began the monumental task of clearing trees and brush away from the fence line running along the back of the pastures. Falling trees and heavy vines play havoc on the existing fence. The thick overgrowth also provides an ample hiding place for predators. There is about 800 feet of this overgrowth and the first half of Saturday we progressed only about 30 feet. We knew this was going to be a long, challenging project, but it needs doing.

During the second half of Saturday we continued the task of reclaiming our garden from the jungle of grass that overtook it while I recovered from my toe injury. That too was no small feat. The Bahia grass that comingles with our Coastal Bermuda is a worthy opponent. It grows deep and has a huge rhyzome that is very difficult to dig up. This rhyzome is so stout that it will sustain itself very well through drought and neglect. Completely removing it from the garden will take years of constant battle. But for now we have prevailed and were even able to get it to the point where we can start planting our winter crops.

These and other projects take considerable planning, time, and hours of hard work. The thing is, being outside, on our own land, is a wonderful thing. Hearing the birds and squirrels playing in the trees that sway in the breeze is so much more rewarding than the hours we used to waste watching television in the city.