For being an off week from the CSA, we sure had our hands full with the wholesale harvest today, 100 lbs of rhubarb, 120 lbs of asparagus, 3 cases of chard, 30 lbs of salad mix, and a few other odds and ends. My dad pays us a visit and lends a hand with the rhubarb and asparagus. It is fun to share our work with him. He curiously looks over my shoulder and asks questions about how we harvest and pack each item. I’m happy to have a job that people can step into and experience. I can say with certainty that I have never worked another job which family, friends, or even random visitors could come by and help… visitors beware, we will put you to work. Of course there are some techniques to be taught along the way, but for the most part, it is pretty easy to pick up, and people seem to enjoy it. When I met Rufus, one of the first things I did was give him a hand with harvest and pack out. In truth, it constituted the majority of our courtship. I was fascinated with how he took each item from field to food co-op ready, and I jumped right in. Rufus was farming by himself at that point, and I quickly realized that if I wanted to spend time with him (which I really did) then it would have to be while we were farming together. The farm, the farmer, and farming sucked me right in, and here we are, sharing our work with others, hoping to captivate their sense of wonder with the charming appeal of the small family farm.

~Joy