Ohiofarmgirl's Adventures in The Good Land is largely a fish out of water tale about how I eventually found my footing on a small farm in an Amish town. We are a mostly organic, somewhat self sufficient, sustainable farm in Ohio. There's action and adventure and I'll always tell you the truth about farming.


Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Summer Regrets

I can't pretend that winter is far away - it's feeling mighty close right now. While the idea of a big, toasty fire and a day of sloth seems like heaven.... I'm not sure I got all the summer I needed. I have some summer regrets.

I do not regret this broccoli.

Mostly this summer went really fast and I didn't get everything done. It seemed like I didn't get things planted as soon and I'd liked - and in some cases my plantings didn't work at all. But we had the right amount of rain - and the right amount of heat. It wasn't too horribly hot and we didn't have any/many tornadic storms around us.

But it just all went so fast!

Mostly I concentrated on some clearing projects. They went incredibly slow but I can see the progress and next year is when it will really pay off. But I neglected some things.

I wish I would have had that magical day where I just sat in my chair and read magazines...but that just never really happens. Even if I did find a chair I would end up being swarmed by dogs or chickens... or goats. It's just not very relaxing when the goats are eating the magazine you are trying to read.

I wish I would have enjoyed the long summer days. But we were on an insane schedule for some of the summer - and many times we ended up going to bed when it was still light out.

I wish I would have gotten my front garden cleaned up so I could have enjoyed it. It's the only garden that is largely ornamental and it's always the last to be taken care of... so mostly it's just a dumping ground for my tools and buckets of things I don't want the geese to get into.

I really wish I could have caught that slinky mink who terrorized the gooselings....I would have loved to see it's nasty little head on a pike in the yard. And I would have made a hat for Nicholas with it's tiny little hide.

I wish for once I'd be able to stay up late enough - or just get up - and see the Perseid meteor showers. But I never have - not even once in my life. Mostly because most of the time I lived in the city and couldn't see them - but now you'd think I'd just walk out on the back deck to check it out. Nope.

I wish I could have gone blueberry picking like I planned - but the few days that it would have worked out were mercilessly hot. I think I just need to grow more of my own.

I wish I could have grown more than one - that's right just one - cucumber.

I wish I would have done a better job of keeping up with the weeding.

I wish I would have planted more beans.

Darn.

So summer is over and I'm left with a box of regrets. But I think I'm just going to pack up that box, turn it into a plan, and label it "Stuff To Do Next Summer."

Smell ya later, summer. See you soon. I'll be the girl who is sitting in a chair with a magazine in a perfectly weeded garden with a bucket of home grown blueberries (or beans) who is a little tired from staying up so late watching falling stars. Next summer is going to be great.

Happy Wednesday, everyone!


9 comments:

Sunnybrook Farm said...

It was so wet that I wish I had planted a rice paddy instead of all those tomatoes that stayed so wet that they died. Next year!

CB said...

Making a list like this is a great idea. I've done it for 2 years and it does help to have it around. The first year I had a mental list that did nothing but occasionally pop into my head that something needs to be done. The second year, something did get done. Being able to SEE it and READ it really jogs your memory of how you want to feel when winter approaches next year. Printing out this list, and looking....not glancing, but reading it once a week or so, is where you'll get the most out of it.

The other important thing is to remember what your wish list was from last year. Did you get some of it accomplished? If so, don't forget to take that into consideration as some of last years wish list may have caused you to neglect some of this years wish list. And that just means your priorities were different.

Some good posts for next year may include "Wish List Accomplishments" including why you prioritized something over another.

Also, don't forget to take that day of relaxation. So long as your not toooo far behind on chores, it'll do more to get you charged to do more chores than anything else.

Cheers,
CB

Traci Sumner said...

Don't look at the "didn't dos" look at the holy shits - I got that much accomplished! It's easier to look at the didn't get the cukes to grow or never made it to the blueberry patch, but gee, I (me) built fence for 3 steers. I've taken care of about 8 bushels of apples and more to go. I canned 48 quarts of pickles, 15 beets, pickled peaches, tomato soup, applesauce, cinnamon apples, spiced pears, apple jelly, asian pear sauce, etc.
Look at the ground that is cleared, the cupboards that are full, the dogs that are happy, the freezers that are full, the healthy animals and give yourself a pat on the back for surviving another summer.!

Vera said...

Oh you so echoed my thoughts about summer. Best to reflect on what we did manage to get done rather than what we didn't. One thing for sure though, is that I am determined to keep the chickens and geese out of my front garden so I can have flowers next year, and that is a definite!

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness, you did sooo much this summer that I feel like a lazy bum!!! I love your blog; your stories, pictures, ideas, & your humor. Good job!

Take care,
Lucy (rural-Troy, Ohio)

David said...

one of my favorite posts yet

Weekend Cowgirl said...

I had a really busy summer and wishes that I never got done also! I already have my list for next summer!! I bet it happens to everyone where our list is longer than things accomplished. I wish I had another couple of months left of summer!

buddeshepherd said...

I regret we never got to watch "King Kong" on the side of the neighbors barn. Or "Gum Ball Rally," or "Revenge of the Pagans," or "Surfside Six," or two hours of Farmer alfalfa and woody woodpecker.
Life is passing me by!

Wildcard said...

It seems like you got a lot done! I had a meager container garden on my deck. I also had a baby, so that counts as growing something, right? ;) Anyway, I would also love to see a list of your accomplishments - including helped soldiers!

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