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.