Planting Our Blessings To All

When I look out across our fields and see the dark black soil turned over and the stormy clouds above, I am reminded of how every year at this time we get to start over. Spring is an amazing time to unearth the ground, regenerate nutrient levels that have been removed during winter floods and breathe life back into the earth. This spring is very different, as many of our hearts ache for the unknown and our future landscape is changing all around. We are sending our deepest regards to those on the medical front lines and all of their families from whom they are separated during this dire time.

As farmers, we are on the food front lines—no farms, no food. Every year we see a period of 6–8 months where our days are usually 15 hours of work. We are figuring out how to respond to COVID-19, adopting new formats even though we work outside. On our farm, although there are only seven of us, we have switched all activities to solo and take extra precautions by not allowing anyone on the farm except for essential deliveries. All tools, implements, tractors, seeding machines, everything is wiped down after each use and we are constantly washing our hands. I think even the plants are looking at us a bit strangely. Never, as a farmer, have my hands been so clean. We usually delight in the deep dirt that gets lodged in the old wrinkles of our skin. But no more is this the case.

Our greenhouses are full, overfull, and we are ready to begin transplanting, but the fear of snow and colder temperatures has held us back this week. As we look towards a chock-full week of transplanting in the coming days, and as we put each veggie and plant in the ground, we will say a blessing for those lives lost to this virus and a blessing for those working to keep us all safe and healthy.

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