My Phone Doesn’t Recognize Me
I’m So Tired
Recently, I had a major wake up and stop smelling the rose call. My face was so drooped from exhaustion that my phone refused to recognize me! Try as I might, nope. My phone was telling me, you are not you! My body was spent.
How did I get into this state of ‘unrecognizablity’?
I am a professor who always wanted to be a farmer. A truck farmer to be precise. The farmer who sells produce off the back of the truck. Why this appeals to me I cannot say. I would tell you, I just don’t know! It’s a mystery.
Through a series of choices I made based on faulty data, I ended up moving alone to an 11-acre farm. Full disclosure, it is .33 less than a full 11 acres. The now “X” was going to move in with me and share the cost. I had crunched the numbers and together I could afford this dream.
Papers were signed after a long haggle with previous owners. Moving day arrived and the “X” backed out. I was strapped with a mortgage I couldn’t afford. In year one I went into the financial hole by $3000.00. The same thing happened in year two. Clearly, that was the cost of living in this place as I had cut all frivolous spending, cut the grocery bill, cut out entertainment save the TV. And frankly, the TV having been gifted by the “X” is on the chopping block! It and he never worked quite right anyway.
I decided to try the local farmer’s market to defray costs if I could, after all I had bought a farm. Year one went well. The second year I was able to cover the taxes on the place which was a major relief. Year three I was invited to join a second market for 6 weeks. I actually was able to put some of that original financial loss back into the savings account as well as cover the taxes.
Year four I took on some extra projects at work for compensation as well as added another market during growing season. So I was now working extra at work and doing 2.5 farmer’s markets.
I failed to mention that what I sell all comes in jars-I process the fruits and vegetables from the farm into jams, jellies, syrups, vinegars, dried spices, etc. The most common remarks at my table are how lovely everything looks and “wow, that’s a lot of work!” to which I reply “Yay, what else am I going to do with my time?”
I just about broke even last year. The fiscal bleed had healed and the wound from the “x” had scabbed over. I was enjoying the farmer’s market life and process. Then Covid happened. I was asked to take on extra-extra work at my job. As well as learn how to become an on-line professor after decades of face to face teaching. Not whining, so many of us were walking the same path, just saying what happened.
Much needs to be done in April and May in an upstate NY garden/farm. I tried my best to balance the demand of my two jobs. I managed to finish the semester with less than .33 minutes to spare! I have a few stragglers I need to get work from yet. Just couldn’t fail anyone not knowing what was happening covid-wise in their lives.
Back out in the orchard/garden
There was so much work in the garden to do to be ready for market season. At least I had been able to order the seeds in time this year. Each evening the dog and I would head out to the fenced in orchard/garden area to try and get something done.
“Come on dog-help me belly farm!”
I laid on my belly to conserve energy. In this prone position I weeded and turned the vegetable beds to get them ready. All the while thinking of the prone patients in the covid units.
I was totally exhausted by semester’s end. I had no interest in attending my village market, much less the other two I had made a commitment to attend. Yes, I committed to 3.5 markets now alongside my full-time job as a professor.
This last four weeks of being Farmer Jane, prepping and processing for the 3 markets, toss in one covid funeral, and a splash of left over full time job strings to tie-up and you have one completely whipped truck farming professor.
The markets are going well, belly farming seems to have been successful, but my phone’s face recognition app is still thinking I need to take a break! While standard relaxation advice is to stop and smell the roses, I need to do the exact opposite. Harvesting rose petals to make rose water, rose jam, rose jelly, rose syrup, rose lemonade, dried rose petal teas and rose potpourri is just one of the reasons I’m whipped out. Lavender and raspberry season is about to kick off.
I have spent the last 46 years measuring my life out in semesters and now I also measure it growing seasons. The more seasons I survive, the more efficacies I discover in the production process. The more efficient I am in prepping and planning the less exhausting the process will be.
What has the phone app taught me?
I think I will continue to belly farm, it is relaxing and I like being literally in touch with the earth.