Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Maris the Amazing Farm Intern Reflects



Hey all. I’m going to have a few more blogs before I leave Tree and Twig. The busy part of the farming season has come to an end and Linda and I have started to discuss an end date for my internship (I think she’s getting fed up with me). I’ve got a few notes on the regular happenings and then some on the important lessons I’ve learned while lazin‘ about this farm.

The ducks are doing great. The older duck has been developing more and more adult feathers every day, and the younger guy has finally started to grow its own starting today. They’re still getting noticeably bigger everyday and we’ve started talking about when they’re going to move to New Leaf with all the other birds we have wandering around. They’re still a little young and the turkeys seem to pick on them every time I’ve had them out and about while visiting on weekends.

I’ve pulled, hoed, and tilled about a billion more weeds since I last mentioned them in a blog. That’s been the case for both here and at A New Leaf. I did spend a day at my mom’s house in downtown Hamilton to help out around the house and guess what she had me do for her... pull weeds! Oh well, the war against them is finally going downhill as there are only a limited number of weeks left in the season and we’ve mulched huge areas of the plants to prevent any resurgence. 

Number one lesson from my experience at Tree and Twig: farming ain’t for quitters. Running even a small farm business takes everything you’ve got and then some. But if you’re a hard worker and can see things to their end, then it’s a beautiful ride all the way through. You start off with gusto and excitement for the growing season to begin. Your body and mind get stronger and ready to persevere by the time the old-you would have collapsed. Herculean tasks become the regular and after transplanting so many seedlings, digging so many holes, pulling so many weeds, and __(insert farming activity here)__ you feel like you can take on anything and all you ask when presented with another tolling task is: that’s it?  

I’ll include some more ‘what i’ve learned’ next time around, but I think i’ve rattled on long enough for today. Thanks for tuning in. 
  

1 comment:

Izabell Fagan said...

I really enjoyed this Blog post Maris. I agree that it is not for the faint of heart. I've known Linda for many, many years and her picture should be in the dictionary under "dedication". I think you are cut from the same cloth. Well done!