Shifting Gears

  I recently wrote about moving forward and while going forward is always necessary on the farm, sometimes the speed has to change. This time of year requires a change of speed and pace. The summer is officially over and autumn has begun, there are a few plantings yet to be made but the season is pretty much over. The harvest is nearly done, there are just a few raspberries left to ripen, some habenero peppers which need to mature and kale continuing to grow but the these are the last hangers on in what has been a very busy growing season. The sun is no longer providing the needed light and warmth to sustain any more crops and it's time to think about digging out the last tough weeds still clinging to the edge of the gardens. I have spent the last few days walking around the garden plots and making mental notes of what needs to be done next but the pace is slower than what it's been. Gone are the days of picking, blanching and freezing all the rapidly ripening produce. I no longer have to furiously pull weeds to keep the gardens clear they are finally reaching their end and I'll digging out those that have stubbornly made their way into the garden plots.                           With this change of seasons there seems to be an inward shift of gears going on and though the pace is slower there is no less work to do. The work that needs to be done almost seems to require a lower, slower but more powerful gear. The last garden plants will be pulled out over the next few weeks and rabbit manure will need to be spread over the garden plots and tilled in, such work isn't done quickly and requires just a bit more effort. The chicken coop has been assembled but the surrounding ground needs to be leveled to provide an adequate place for the coop and run to rest, this also will take some slower moving and more muscle. The rabbits are now over five weeks old and in a month I'll begin processing them for our family and friends and this too is just a slower process which requires less speed and more precision. Tomorrow I'll go look at four rabbit hutches to see if they'll meet our needs, if they do that also will require some planning and effort to get them set up before winter.
   There are still lots of chores to be done they're just different and they require a different gear. The does have all been bred again and when they kindle the kits will require a bit more care due to the cold weather that will be in place when they arrive. I hope to scout my hunting and trapping areas for the coming season and, if my shoulder permits it, to gather meat for the coming year. This type of activity also requires a slower, more thoughtful pace and a greater effort all because it's tough to endure the cold and dark of this season. Kathy and I will be using the shorter days to learn how to make cheese, jam, make hard cider and acquire other farm skills that are necessarily done in doors. We will also plan for next years gardens, the arrival of our new hens and the expansion of the farm in new ways. We're still going forward on the farm and forward toward our dreams all that's changed is we've shifted gears.