THE FATHERHOOD CRAFT.
When I first started applying for farming internships in 2009, I had Further in mind. I mean, I didn't know he would be a boy, when he would arrive or his name, but I knew that when I did have a child, I wanted to be ready. I wanted to be in a place where I could teach him about things he could use––about growing food, and foraging and living off the land.Because at that time, here is what I knew: I knew a fair bit about wine. I knew a superbly useless amount about Prohibition. I knew Kentucky Basketball, books, and the bars of NYC. What I didn't know was how beets grew. Or how to keep that stupid basil plant I bought every year alive. I didn't know how to build anything, fix anything, or anything about engines––small or large. And I was vividly aware of this.So in deciding to become a farmer, I was hoping to remedy some of that. Then with the help of our mentors, Eric and Cher, I definitely did. I am a much more capable human today than I was six years ago. I can grow food, build things, fix others, and what I can't, I now know how to find the people who can.But still, for Further's sake I can't help but wish I knew more. I wish I had started earlier. I was telling Hannah the other night, I want to be the best father I can be, but I will always be painfully aware of my limitations as a carpenter, as a mechanic, as a woodworker, a musician, or you name it. With that said, I've come to realize that being a good father may require me to accept my faults or deficiencies and, like it is when I need something fixed, turn to knowledgeable people to help teach Further what I can't. He will have to grow up knowing Papa doesn't have all the answers, and I will have to be okay with that. Maybe it's culture, or maybe it's nature, but I'm finding the ego is strong in parenthood. But perhaps letting that go is the first step to being a good father. The second step, well, maybe the second step is just caring this much.- Jesse.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
Because our internet time is so limited, we may not always get a chance to respond to your comments. But we always read them, and man we appreciate them. Seriously. You truly enrich our blog and we love the discussion and perspective your comments inspire. From Hannah and me, thank you. With that said, there were so many good questions asked this week––especially on this post ––that we'd love to answer, but hate tapping out a quick response in the thirty seconds we have to look at the site. So, if it's alright by you, we'd love to share a few of the answers.First, Milla who runs this amazing blog, asked us in the comments section of the "TORN" post, how we feel about the toll farming is taking on our bodies. And it's a great question. Truthfully, we think about it a lot. It's at the crux of what makes the decision of whether or not to slightly mechanize so hard. Take for example the other day, building those first beds [link] (which the walking tractor could have built in an hour or less). When I was done with my first bed I could barely hold Further. My back was sore. My arms were spent. I don't love that. I don't want that to be my life. So the question becomes, is doing things the hard way the sustainable thing to do? Because people like Jean-Martin Fortier and Eliot Coleman are mechanized (lightly) and their soil, their environment, and their bodies are still healthy. Or should we bite the bullet and either buy a walking tractor, or finally give the draft animal a shot?Well, speaking of the draft animal, Dawn, another sweet commenter, asked us if we'd be interested in using her family's Gelding. She didn't feel as if their situation was right for keeping one, but the truth is, when I look around, neither is ours. The one place we could keep some small draft animal, like a donkey perhaps, is also a place I might like for more garden space next year. I still want a draft animal––Rough DRAFT is no coincidence––and love that they eat grass and turn it into fertilizer, but I'm still not sure it makes sense on our small property.What about a wood gasifier for our walking tractor, our friend John asked. Or making our own diesel, as Jason suggested. I love these idea. I love the idea of using wood gas or biodiesel to replace fossil fuel usage. But I am an immaculately incompetent engineer. I look at the schematics of those things and the fight or flight mechanism in my brain lights up (is that normal?). Perhaps I just need a good teacher––or someone to help me build one. Jason also asked about electric tillers, solar charged. Definitely, we are looking out for these, though do typically find battery operated equipment to be painfully inferior to gas in terms of power. On our radar, though. For sure. Anyway, there were so many good questions, and you should read through them. And I could go on forever, but I'll stop there for now. If you like these comment responses, please let us know and we'll do more of them––ask us questions, for Hannah, myself, or both. If you're not into it, that's cool, too. Either way, just know how much we appreciate the comments, and your support. Thank you.- Jesse.
MESSY MONDAYS.
If you were wondering how we wash our cloth diapers, here is a shot of our washing machine:
Cold water soak, hot water with soap and a plunger, cold water rinse, hang diapers over the stove to dry. Not too fancy but it gets the job done!