Butternut Spots

do you understand how hard it is to run a farm/ranch? all the different variables you have to account for, all the knowledge you have to have– i promise you, if i put an ivy league academic in front of a 200 lbs ewe and said “now shear her” they wouldn’t be able to do it. not to mention all the business and economics of running a successful commercial farm, much less a little family/hobby farm.

if i told a business CEO to milk a fucking cow he probably couldn’t do it, by hand or machine. or run a combine harvester, or plant sugarcane, or muck a horse stall, hell he probably couldn’t even fix a simple fence break.

just because something uses knowledge of a different type doesn’t mean it doesn’t use knowledge. knowing how much different cattle breeds sell for, when and what to feed your ewes to maximize your lamb crop, how to birth livestock, what crops to plant when, how much water a crop needs, how to tell what minerals/diet deficiencies are causing whatever health problem your livestock are having (and how to recognize an unhealthy animal and what’s wrong before you call the vet). how much to sell your crop for, how to shoe a horse, drive a baler, how to store your hay bales. knowing the different kinds of hay and when to feed it, how to tack up a horse or rope cattle without hurting them, how to castrate your livestock, herd cattle, prevent hoof rot, the list goes on and on–

all of these things require in-depth, nuanced knowledge that is NO LESS VALUABLE than science, business, literature, philosophical, whatever disciplines. 

We are still amazed by her ability to Yell

How can she be so loud when she is so tiny? Where does all the Big Yell come from?

You are wildly underestimating my ability to go fucking feral about fresh produce. I don't think I even brought snap peas into the house last year. Just ate them right off the vine.

Though I did end up freezing the strawberries/blue berries as they ripened, but even those were consumed within the week.

Tomato (September) - you are a warm body that is nearby

Fresh new asparagus - romantic love

Artichoke - fondness

New rhubarb with leaves removed - flirtatious potential

Rhubarb with leaves left on - the bloom is gone

Swiss chard - I have made mistakes

Perpetual spinach - declaration of animosity between our houses

White-fleshed potato - you are a neighbor

Blue or red fleshed potato - as above, but with overtones of camaraderie/affection

Kale - you are a person who was nearby when I had kale

Raspberries - you are a person I admire

Strawberries - you are a treasure

Onion - I am confused

Young French beans or young peas - I thought of you especially

Runner beans - mild criticism; familial ties; gift from parent to child

Pumpkins - overt romantic, sexual or childhood-bestie interest; highest declaration of loyalty

Prettily coloured popping corn, I.e. glass gem - let this seal the breach between our houses

Zucchini/courgette - cry for help, resignation