Work Projects

We have been doing a variety of projects at Nonnon Farm which makes our days go by so quickly.  We get very stiff and sore doing such repetitious work but we all hang in there and soon enough the work changes or even better yet it's already tea time.  This means a break that includes hot or cold tea and a snack.  Today our activities included collecting eggs and wiping them off, weeding parsley row, watching Women's World Cup championship, transplanting and watering sweet corn, broccoli, cabbage, and some celery, weeding shiso, thinning turnips, and tying up bean plants one by one.  There will be plenty of bean work for us tomorrow as those rows go on and on.

The girls often ask what time it is or how much time we have left.  I usually don't know as I forgot my watch at home (not on purpose as I am usually a watch person) and I don't carry my phone in my pocket during work.  I would rather not know the time but this is definitely not so for the girls.  Jordan says to me today while tying bean plants, "Time passes differently out here.  I don't think I like it."  She is one that has really enjoyed this farm and the type of work we do but she is also one who likes to know her schedule of things and her time frame for finishing a project, any project including homework.
Lauren has also enjoyed Nonnon Farm and it's laid back atmosphere.  She said she likes weeding when we were looking for tiny Shiloh plants in 1"-2" weeds.  It is calm work and really not hard.  She walked up to me today with a basket full of green plants and said, "Look, Mom!  These are turnips we pulled to make room for the others to grow.  We get to eat them tonight."  I love to hear her excitement over these small things that we so often take for granted.

Whenever I get a bit stiff or sore from the repetitive work, I stand and look at my surroundings?  The beauty and solitude take my breath away each and every time.  I also glance at my children working with and learning from Yoko and my heart fills with a deep respect and pride for them as they embrace this experience with a kind heart and strong mind.  Yes, we have our ups and downs and we all get cranky at different times but we also work well together and help each other get through the tough times or we simply know when to leave each other alone for a bit.  We are so thankful for these unique opportunities in these wonderful and remote places in the world.