You know when you start something and put time and effort into it and it’s going along pretty well. And then you stop focusing on it and hope it just keeps going on its own?
How often does that work for you? Never, or at least very rarely, for me.
That’s what happened with m blog writing. I enjoyed telling people random ramblings floating around in my brain and really enjoyed hearing back from many of my email subscribers. But then I got out of the habit of sitting down and putting those thoughts to paper. And then it seemed like too much time had passed and it would be weird to start again.
But I decided it’s NOT too late. It’s pretty much always better to start again with the good things in your life.
So here I am. Writing this blog. About all the good things I stopped doing and plan to start again.
(Funny, how 2 years ago during my birthday month I wrote about things I stopped doing and last year I wrote about the things I was doing.)
Weeding High Tunnel
Everyone, even non-farmers, know you have to keep your vegetable gardens as weed-free as possible for the best harvest. You can do this a number of ways, but at ARNKA we use organic methods like flame-weeding, covering with corn gluten, and hand cultivating. These all work great as long as you keep doing them on a regular basis.
Last fall we spent a lot of time making sure the high tunnel beds were relatively weed free so we could plant new seeds and transplants into them in February. Since we did that, I honestly only went in there every few weeks to harvest some spinach. And I didn’t pay attention to what anything else looked like.
Fast forward to last week when I decided it was time to bed prep and plant greens. I took one look around the tunnel and realized I had a major weed problem. The winter temps were cold enough to have kept the weeds from germinating and growing rampantly. (Why, God, do weeds grow so much easier than veggies?!)
So now I’m starting again with flame-weeding, hoeing, and hand pulling of those weeds. And the spinach, lettuce, and kale are thanking me for it by growing bigger each day.
Journaling Prayers
When my kids were little and my only, though important, job was raising them, I started prayer journals for each of them. I would write down all sorts of prayers specific to them and their personalities. These prayer topics ranged from potty training issues to them lying to me to their future jobs and spouses.
Then, even though I grew spiritually through this practice, I stopped doing it as life got “too busy.” I came back to it every few years and wrote down a prayer or two, and then got out of the habit again.
I found those prayer journals as I was looking in my closest this morning. It was refreshing to my soul to read back through them and see the things that seemed so big and daunting at the time. And how God had answered many of the prayers.
So I decided to start again with writing down specific prayers for my kids. And my thankfulness for all God has given me and my worship of him grew with each word I wrote.
Making Cheese
Many of you know Peanut, my dairy cow, didn’t get bred this summer when I hoped she would. I like to have my baby animals born in early spring. One of the main reasons for this is because I dry them off for 60 days before they give birth, giving me approximately a milking break Christmas to Valentine’s Day. I don’t like milking in winter because I hate the cold and snow (not news to those of you who know me well).
So I got grumpy about milking and didn’t want anything to do with that delicious milk. So I dumped it to the chickens. (Side note: The milk is really good for their diet and egg-producing, so I wasn’t technically wasting the milk.)
A few weeks ago I went to my deep freeze to pull out some of our frozen ARNKA cheese and realized I had none. UGH! All that milk dumping and not cheese making had me in a spot I didn’t want to be.
So, I started saving the milk and making cheese every few days. I made flavored jack cheeses, feta, fresh mozzarella, smoked gouda, and farmhouse cheddar. And now I have lots of cheese!
So much cheese, in fact, I decided to offer a “Cheese Sampler” to all of you so you can try different types for lots less money! See those details below.
Keep Starting Again
There are going to be other times and other things that I stop doing good things. My goal is to recognize sooner what I am missing and start doing them again. Sometimes I will fail. Sometimes I will succeed. But each attempt will be worth it.
I hope hearing about me starting again will inspire you to look at your own life. What things are you starting again? Please let me know so I can encourage you.
Farmer Rachel
PS Here is the Cheese Sampler info. Choose 4 different types of cheese for only $11! Each cheese weighs approximately 4 ounces. Types available-Fresh Mozzarella, Feta, Bacon Jack, Ranch Jack, Marble Jack, Garlic and Chives Jack, Garlic Jack, Chipotle Jack, Sun-dried Tomato Basil Jack, Green Olive Jack, Everything Bagel Jack, Original Fromage Blanc, Garlic Fromage Blanc, and Ranch Fromage Blanc.
Send me an email with your order and we will set up a time for pick up or delivery.