we are on vacation in montreal. it feels weird. we were trying to take this time off to be with the children and give them our undivided attention, and also be with my parents and reconnect for a few days. we left the farm in the hands of our helpers from monday to saturday this week. so everything should continue as usual. but it feels weird.
here, in montreal, we've been doing some biking, and hanging out by the river with books, and just simple things like that. we've been reading with the children, and snuggling with them and just being with them more than usual, which is a good reason to be away.
and yet. i feel like i need to go back. i feel off not being in the field at this time of the season. we thought that we'd take a break now and avoid being overly exhausted for the rest of the season; but i don't know if it's much of a break for me, bc all i think about is the farm, and what's going on, what's getting done and what's not, and i hate feeling so out of control. i guess i just have to learn to relax and let go.
it doesn't help that being here, in montreal, just seems kind of pointless. there's nothing to do, because what i really want to do is be in the field. ed thinks i'm too intense about this. he's right. i just have to focus on being with the kids and with my parents and ed. then i may feel better about being here....

i've been in raspberry heaven over the past 2 weeks. going to the raspberry patch after a day's work, hungry and tired and worn out by the heat and sun, sitting and eating as many berries as i can, satisfying hunger, thirst and the need to rest - this feels truly abundant.

this year, i am more than ever humbled by the abundance and generosity of our land. it is just amazing, how much it is producing, and how good everything is.

i rarely go anywhere these days. i am always at the farm working, and when i am not working, i want to be there resting. i feel no need to go anywhere. we have so many people coming to the farm every week, and we have a personal connection with most of them, so i feel satisfied as far as social interaction, and feel no need to seek out more.

we are starting to harvest tomatoes, and some red peppers are ready. at least two weeks early this year.
we've been harvesting lots of cucumbers, summer squash, greens, beets, carrots, and this week we harvested all our garlic and hung it in the barn to cure. the onions are almost ready too, and beans are coming along. okra is looking really good, and eggplant is abundant. sugar snap peas are done, and we had a great harvest. carrots and kale are producing well beyond our hopes and expectations. the only crop not doing well is parsley. we had cut worm damage early on, when we first planted, and it never quite recovered. i think i'll plant a new bed soon. the fall crops are already in the ground: cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, as well as winter squashes. the rice we planted is looking good, and so are the three sisters: corn, beans, squash, all of which were an experiment. the orchard area is coming along, although it's a struggle to keep up with it and the rest of the vegetable production.

the kids are doing well. they're taking a survival skills camp this week, the same one that sena was in last summer and loved. they're spending lots of time int he woods, learning how to make shelter, how to forage, make tools, and other important survival skills.

last week, sena and aiyana and i went to plimoth plantation in plymouth, massachussets. we visited the native american village as well as the pilgrim village they have there. we also visited the mayflower ship. it was interesting, as well as depressing, as it always is for me when faced with Native American/European history, and with the reality of how people treat each other and Nature. sena and aiyana ask lots of questions, which i have no good answer for.

enjoy this beautiful weather,
peace