Pattern of a Hot Summer's Day

These days, our daily Human pattern follows Nature's template, to the best we can know.  We do our very best to take good care of ourselves in this heat.  It makes no sense to do otherwise.  We are more in tune to body cues and we know our limits more besides. We also are more aware of what we can do to keep ourselves cool.

We work outside early and late.  That means we are out in the Garden anywhere from 5:30 to 10 a.m. and 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.  Those times can be extended during the heat of day by working in slivers of shade.  I'm getting good at that. 

Tonight we were working until it was almost dark.  We are finishing that late spring, early summer planting. We chuckled because we will know over the coming days just what we did. 

When we move inside, we pay attention to inside chores and there sure are plenty of those.  We don't work with the greatest degree of zest, but instead work a little more slowly.  We each take a rest in the afternoon.  Yes, we are also drinking lots of fluids. We also find ourselves drawn to eating less meat, less fat, and more veggies and grains.  And more salt.

No, we do not drink much at all in terms of icy beverages.  I was told once by a Chinese Physician that in his medical tradition which dates back 1000s of years, it was known that such practices interfere with digestion and are also hard on one's heart.  In the moment, those beverages seem to cool one down, but the heart and the organs have to work overtime to warm things up.  No, I have not read about this anywhere else, but it intuitively makes a lot of sense.

And yes, we do have air conditioning in the house as support too.  We do not turn it on until the inside temperature of the house reaches about 84 degrees.  The thermostat is set for 81.  It just makes no sense to have such a dramatic shift between temperatures going outside to in. It also makes no sense to live in a refrigerator and plan to do outside work.  Who would want to?

My Mother was a genius at keeping her house cool. While I did not know it at the time, I was surely learning at lot as I watched her move seamlessly about.  We 3 C's now have changed our windows early in our move here.  We also have more insulation in some spots throughout the house.  We could not change it all.  Some large trees would be nice, but they are a long ways off.

Last summer, we added window coverings that block a good percentage of the sun and the outside heat.  We let in the early morning light.  Then we close the blinds on the east side of the house.  We have the windows open away from the sun.  As long as there is cool air coming in, the windows can stay open.  When that shifts, those windows are closed and so are the blinds.  In the heat of the day, all the blinds are closed.  While I would have thought it would be depressing, it isn't.  It just feels like a comfortable cave.

We are trying to generate less indoor heat.  That means we are cooking less.  We are using the solar oven more.  We (especially I) could do more here.  I've only had 62 years of practice generating heat inside.  However, it doesn't take a Rocket Scientist to know that any heat that we can generate outside means we aren't heating up the house.  That is a good idea. 

We may also be looking at a Rocket Stove.  Plus, I really have designs on an outdoor canning kitchen.  Mother always talked of Aunt Lula canning and drying produce out in her shed.  The Old Timers were smart about such things. We new ones are slow learners but we do indeed learn.

Melanie and I are learning that light loose fitting cotton clothing with long sleeves and a broad brimmed hat helps with the cooling for outside work.  We spent so many years thinking that fewer clothes meant cooler, but it sure doesn't.  Besides such covering means we have less exposure to the Sun.

All these little adjustments in the Human Practice means that we can be more acclimated and respectful of the heat while still getting the outside work done.  It also means that the heat is less costly and we are using less outside resources.  Now that's a plan.

A Day of Magic

Today we had a very full and beautiful day. I suppose you could say that it was a day filled with Farm Magic. When we got up yesterday, planting Sorghum Cane was "iffy".  Would we "make crop"? was a question heavy on our minds.  In other words, would Nature permit us to pull it off? 

Inbetween the lines of our day to day experiences, we are surely learning that living on the land provides no givens.  Every act of trying to grow Food is one of faith.  When we lived in the City, we paid that little fact no "nevermind".  In other words, we were oblivious to what it took to get that product to us. If we wanted a given product, we just found a store that had it on the shelves.  That's not so here, and it is surely not so in the real world beyond those shelves.

When we got up today, we knew that if conditions would be right, we would be planting Cane today.  The plan which was quickly hatched yesterday was that the planting would happen in the afternoon.  We also knew that Jackie with her 3 children Finn (7), Elzie (5), and Jagger (2) would be coming for a short visit and lunch. We also knew that the Strawberries in the Patch would be ready for making Spread.

Richard, our early riser, had already picked Strawberries and gotten the Cane Seeds ready by the time Melanie and I were ready to move outside. Those 2 pans of Strawberries stood quite proudly and aromatically on the Countertop.  Even before breakfast, Melanie began making lunch. I got ready to go to town because I had some erands there.  I got on my town clothes.  I must say I was hesitant about going to town.  Who really wants to leave the Farm?

About that time, a car drove down the drive.  And here came our neighbor with her 4 grandchildren.  I was just delighted to see them because I enjoy shared time, plus it was abundantly clear that I wasn't going to town.  Funniest thing:  I was all dressed up for visiting too.  I had promised our neighbor some plants if she would like them.  I asked if she and the grandchildren might like to see the chickens and visit the garden too.  The answers were yes. 

Melanie is always the tourmaster of the chickens.  Then she was back traveling the gardens and in the house fixing lunch. I took on the garden tours, which I love to do, especially when I might have some folks (especially kids) who are seldom in the garden. Maybe it is the Teacher in me.  Or perhaps it is the Earth Mother in me.  Or both.

We spent some time in the herb garden.  I gave them samples to smell and asked if they knew what the plants were.  Those aromas are always like magic, tickling us and teasing us, drawing us in.  From there, we headed through the veggies.  I showed them the difference between the cool season and the warm season plants.  The former is huge and at peak.  The latter is just coming out of the ground.

One by one, I asked them about the plants that we saw.  They got samples of what was in season which for now included Snap Peas and Strawberries.  I just love watching Folks who are not accustomed to picking Fresh Strawberries pick Fresh Strawberries.  They "up end" pretty quickly.

I always enjoy the questions and I try to take time with each and every one.  Those questions show me where Folks are.  And they help me build on what they know.  One of my favorite questions today was:  "Does Celery really grow in the ground?" 

I always learn a lot from whomever I meet and this little group was no exception.  One thing that I learned was how to sex Cicadas, the 13 year Locusts which are in abundance now.  I haven't tried that out on my own yet, but I am quite confident that I can do it. I am not quite sure why I would need to know this, but now I do.

While we were touring, David came with the blue tractor to plant.  But 1st he got on board the red tractor which spent the night and once again disked the space where the Cane and the Corn will be planted. I also had visions of Melanie busily preparing lunch inside for our guests who had yet to arrive.  I have always loved to be in the center of bustling activity. And today was my lucky day.

This little group picked out their plants, buckled themselves into their car, waved good-bye, and headed down the drive.  At the top of the drive, they met a truck coming in.  It was Hollis with 3 Grandchildren of his own.  And once they got settled in exploring all that there was to explore, here comes Jackie with her 3 Kids. 

After the disking, Hollis began planting the Cane.  I was delighted that we had such company to see the planting of the Cane.  This is a big deal around here.  It was kind of a welcome home for the Cane which is so special to us, our family and community. 

And I believe that is a very big deal that principal members of the entourage today are children.  Three of these kids have always known that Sorghum Cane is to be planted and processed into Molasses.  They have always been around it.  They will never know that empty time when we almost let that tradition drop.  And 3 more joined them today in learning about it. How wonderful is that?

 

If you have followed this Blog before, you may remember that that little Planter behind the tractor is a converted John Deere horse drawn Planter dated 1898.  While I was out watching the doin's, Hollis and David switched from planting Cane Seeds to planting Corn.  That meant they had to change the Plates which have little notches just the right size to drop the Seeds at the right distance into the ground.  Hollis said the Plates are made of Iron and they are very fragile.  If they are not well cared for, they will fracture almost like Glass.

I am reminded that this whole process has become very precious to us.  We handle every single aspect of it with tender loving care. 

 

Almost as soon as the plates were exchanged for the Corn Seeds, Grandpa and the Grandkids were gone.  Somehow, Hollis Dale magically then appeared.  And the next thing I saw was that they had disked the other Field.  As soon as that was complete, the little Parade of 2 Tractors headed off down the Lane and back home.

We settled down to lunch and some special shared time with our remaining Guests. Finn had to tell us about the Cabin he is building and his Garden.  And as quick as they came, they too were gone.

By this time, Ladd the Dog and the 2 Cats came out of their hiding places.  We Humans took some time to rest.  Melanie began making Strawberry Spread.  And I headed off to town.  We had dinner.  Then Richard and I took a walk to inspect the Garden and the Cane/Cornfield, while Melanie worked on the Strawberry Spread. 

Chicken Chores were completed. 15 jars of Strawberry Spread now stand on the Counter.  And the 3 C's are headed off to bed.

Coolest Place

June 5:

On these hot days, you will find almost everyone of us on Butterfly Hill Farm seeking the coolest place we can find. Unfortunately, we have little shade around the house. The coolest place is on the north side of the house underneath the Hostas. I haven't tried this location myself, but Ladd the Dog sure has. And it meets with his approval.

Time to Plant Cane

Recent Rains have delayed the planting of Sorghum Cane.  Since Sorghum Cane is a Warm Season Crop that takes a long season, the more we move into Summer without Cane Seeds in the ground, the less likely we are to "make Crop".  Richard says that June 15 is the latest we could plant.  We don't take that too lightly as Sorghum Molasses is pretty important around here, both for sweetener and for family/community gathering and tradition.

David and Hollis headed over to the check out our field.  A good percentage of it is still too wet, but some (the disked part) seems closest to planting.  The situation is complicated by the tall growth of grasses on the open fields, which does not allow Sun and Wind exposure to the Soil.  Next rains are expected Wednesday evening with a 30% chance. 

Based on observations, the decision was made to disk that ground yet this afternoon, then disk and plant tomorrow.  All other ground which is waiting in cue is just too wet as yet.  Melanie asked if there was anything that we could do.  She said she had been doing a rain dance, to which the response was "Quit". 

David and Hollis headed back to the family farm to get the Tractor and Disk.  Considering how fast things go when the opportunity presents itself, I bet David is on his way on the Tractor as I clatter away at these keys.  Hollis will be right behind. 

Richard has headed to the Garage to get the Cane Seeds ready. It's iffy but we are giving it a shot. 

Pay Attention

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/heidi-cullen/the-cword_b_870790.html

Now Why Would We Want to Do That?

http://e360.yale.edu/digest/climate_change_threatens_to_disrupt_global_food_production_un_says/2963/

Berry Embellishments

Yesterday, I had a "hankering" for Pancakes. In the City, they would say: "I am hungry for Pancakes."  That's more uniform, more commonly understood, but it is also less colorful. Hankering would have been in the language of my childhood, which advanced forms of Education worked tirelessly to erase.  I am happy to say some of those Childhood memories of words are returning.  I shall be integrating them in Blogs that follow.

The inspiration for the Pancakes was the Strawberries which are in abundance.  Melanie worked on embellishments for the Pancakes: Molasses, Chopped Sprouted Almonds, Butter or non-Dairy Buttery Spread.  I mixed them up and stood over the hot stove cooking them.

I always chuckle to see how we each assemble our plates.  I like mine fanned out on the plate with the assortment of toppings scattered about.  Melanie likes hers in towers.  Richard skips the Nuts.  How would you assemble yours?

I put Blueberries in the Pancakes until I ran out.  Sadly, that is the last of our Frozen Blueberries. Assuming all goes well (and on the Farm, there are no givens), we will have quite a few Blueberries on the young Bushes south of the house.  The Price Family's Lostbranch Blueberry Farm should be open for picking toward the end of June.  We are excited about that.  Not only do we enjoy picking and the Berries, we meet some really neat people there too. 

I also put Juneberries in 1 pancake for each of us.  Our young Juneberry Bush is letting us know about what might happen in seasons ahead. 

P.S. My spellcheck on this Blog does not recognize Juneberry.  What kind of a spellcheck is that?