Hurry Up and Wait

The month of April at the Genuine Faux Farm is always "Hurry Up and Wait" time.

April weather in Iowa can be beautiful one day and blustery and cold the next.  One moment, you're thinking you could put some tomatoes in and the next you're glad you didn't because those same tomatoes would probably be dead if you had.

If there's anything we've learned - it's that you need to be patient in April.  There's still plenty you can (and should) do.  But, getting ahead of yourself usually just leads to more, not less, work.

This year is a bit different.  With the unfortunate timing of the surgery to remove a kidney, we find ourselves being pressed to get as much as is possible done prior to the surgery - simply in hopes that we can keep up after the surgery.

This is where we should probably be thankful for the cold periods that prevent us from getting TOO far ahead of ourselves.  Except that it will be hard to do some of these things when it does warm up.  I need to remember not to expect too much of myself for a little while.

And, no, I don't have to like it.

Our goals right now include getting the potatoes in and having both high tunnels planted... well, mostly planted.  There are some things that still need to wait.

We'd like to get the hens moved to their Summer Cottage and to a new pasture - but we decided it would be better to wait on that one.  It makes no sense having to deal with all of the little things that happen when poultry experience something new... there's always a bit of work that comes from that.  As a result, we know we won't get the old pasture re-seeded, nor will we get the room cleaned out.

We've already decided that we can't move Eden to the west position - the winds just stayed too heavy for us to move it.  So, we'll grow in the same spot again this year, even though that's not what we want.  But, we did get some help putting some compost into the growing beds, so that will help us deal with the situation.

We make adjustments every single year.  We always accept that some things are not the way we wanted them to be.  This year is no different, even if the challenge presented to us is not quite the same.

We got the next batch of seed trays started and we got Casa Verde (the little green house) recovered so it can be used.  Fields will be prepared for planting and our first batch of bees are settled and doing reasonably well. 

Over the last week, we've done a decent job of getting things done on all fronts.  But, there are simply too many fronts.  So, we'll continue to rush around until the last minute - so we can wait for a while - until our own personal weather system calms and we can walk in the sun again.