Rufus was off to deliver the CSAs this morning and I went about my Wednesday weeding ritual. Today greenhouse 1 was my goal. I seem to alternate between focusing on greenhouse 1 and greenhouse 4. By the time I get one of them looking tidy, the other one looks terrible. This time of year the veggies are putting on size more quickly and the seedlings are popping up within a few days, but nothing grows as swiftly as the diverse array of weeds on the farm. They are a legion and I am one lady, but I diligently beat them back day after day. Most people, including Rufus, are not excited about weeding, but I find it can be relaxing and even meditative. Also, I feel that if I want to take myself seriously as an organic farmer, I have to like wise be serious about weeding. I mean, one of the main things that set organic farmers apart from the conventional guys is that we do not use chemicals for weed control. We take great pride in our farming practices because we take care of the land, water, animals, and people’s health. However, that also means we have to work a lot harder at taking care of our plants, and that means weeding, perpetual, limitless weeding. So why shouldn’t we take pride in that? When I spend an entire day weeding, I see it as an act of kindness to the land, the water, the animals, the bees, and the people we feed. It is a simple act and an honorable deed, and anyone can do it.

~Joy