Worry is the Work

It rained on Monday, probably about as perfect a rain as one could ask for.

The 300 broke down, right in the middle of mowing. But if it had to do it, this was the perfect time. It’s the coil, that’s my guess, what’s broken. It’s something electrical. Still, it’s the ideal time for a breakdown. That old tractor deserves a breakdown or two. It can stay out in the field, chillin. We’ll pull it in with the 65 to take a look at it…later.

Mar made the rounds planting some final things. The forecast looks very cool in the 10 day, so we planted some arugula, and that was it for people food. Then some rye got planted all over some remaining plots for a winter into spring cover crop, as worm and plant food. We use the 140, which is just as old as the 300, to pull the grain drill, which is probably just as old as the two aforementioned, to “drill” the cover crop in. For all the issues that these old machines have, I’m always blown away at how, with a little love and maintenance, they just keep going. Long enough to get the place mowed a little. Long enough to get the cover crops in. Long enough for another season.

If the 10 day forecast holds, then it probably doesn’t make too much sense for us to keep planting vegetables after today. Even today seems almost like October.

When the end of the season is on the horizon, you think, “Is this the last rain we will need? Do I even need to worry that one of the tractors won’t go? Do I take the chance and plant more?”

There is still a lot of the season to go. Successions of vegetables that have been planted previously will continue to grow and be weeded, harvested, washed and brought to market. There are still so many things to fix, and put on the infinite projects list.

The season will continue, at a pace.

But, in some ways for me it feels like the end of the season. The most influence that we can have on this year is past. From here on out, it’s just a matter of showing up, doing the tasks for the day, thinking about what we can do for next year, and putting immediate worries aside. Because, what is done is done. Worry can’t better anything now. And worrying…that’s the hard work on a farm. The rest is just movement. From here on out, it’s just movement.

Things are in fairly good shape int he fields. Though far from perfect, knowing where we started the season, I am content enough.

I’ll remind myself that despite how it feels, it’s not over.

Don’t worry. We’ll keep moving.