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Crazy enough, this is the conclusion of our fourth weekend here at Green Fire Farm. Stefan's brother Tyler made it up here last night as he's traveling before beginning shooting on his new TV show down in LA. He showed us the ropes on our first homebrew which is now waiting in an extra room in the cabin. It should be ready to drink in about three weeks.
Much of our work here has been in the greenhouse, planting and preparing many plant starts. Two weeks ago this Monday, we began transplanting some starts to the outdoors; we now have peas, lettuce (two successions), chard, kale, scallion, cabbage, and broccoli outdoors and growing under row covers to protect it from passing quail. Also, we seeded carrots and beets. This is the earliest the farm has ever been able to get these crops in, thanks to a new greenhouse and a very great weather pattern of rainy weeks alternating with sunny weeks.
While here, gender roles have been playing out very interestingly. I always found myself to be more male-like in mindset, tending to be more logical than emotional in everyday life. However, when it comes to the physical, I'm a girl all the way. My arm strength is so poor and I have to ask for help to carry things that should not be too heavy. On Friday, I had to use a small rotartiller -- The Mantis -- and although I did get the hang of bringing it quite close to the garlic to cut the weeds away, I felt so inept and weak. Where I shine is with cooking, getting a reputation for my good communal lunches (like swiss chard and chickpea curry with samosa filling mashed potatoes or butternut squash with quinoa, tomatoes, and peppers) and weekend baking pursuits (classic chocolate chip cookies, chocolate zuchinni muffins with chocolate chips, vegan carrot-poppy-ginger-flax muffins). Also, the care of seeding in the greenhouse and focus needed to "singulate" plug trays is something that speed is still needed, but my focus and accuracy very good. Stefan shines with his mechanical training, very able to fix the tractors and small engines and just have stamina and stength to lift and go all day long. There is some crossover in tasks and we always get an opportunity to try both traditionally female and males tasks; for example, both Stefan and I were responsible for replacing the old greenhouse tables rotted legs and replacing them with newly cut lumber. Oh well, it's how it is and regardless I am loving my time here and learning so much. It's such a beautiful valley, even with the terrible economics of this community and our crazy neighbors that mistreat animals and cough from smoking too much.
I look around at the mountains surrounding me from every direction of the farm and I think of how beautiful this place is. Sometimes I remember to look a bit closer and I notice all the trees and brush that is still barren and I wonder what the spring will bring to this place. I spotted the first buds on the trees two days ago. My senses just point to spring. It's exciting and I feel so very fortunate.
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