Friday, June 14, 2013

A Farmer's Paradise

It’s early as I write this blog, 4:19a.m. to be precise and the start of another fine day here on the Palouse where my farm is and where I call home.
Sunrise on the Palouse
Last night as dusk was descending on the green farm fields that surround my farmhouse, the thought struck me that this is my little paradise. A place where the newly planted fields are various colors of green, the smell of clean air greets me as I step outside, and I hear nature telling me good morning with the chipping of the birds or good night when I hear the crickets chirp and the coyotes start to howl.   My Google search gave this definition, Paradise is a place of contentment, but it is not necessarily a land of luxury and idleness. Paradise is often described as a "higher place", the holiest place, in contrast to this world.  A farmer’s paradise may look somewhat different than someone who lives in a city, but that is the beauty of it, each of us has a vision of our own paradise and what it looks like.  Although I must admit, a farmer’s paradise probably takes a bit more care and expense than perhaps an urbanite, but that is what it takes to keep our dreams successful.   A farmer’s paradise is not only a holy place in our hearts, but it is our paycheck as well.  Activity on the farm ebbs and flows, and after the flurry of activity to get crops seeded in the ground, it was quiet, now there is a bit more activity - in that tractors are back in the fields spraying the crops to control weeds.  I see and hear the crop dusters as well, and they are used for applying products to help the crops stay healthy, as weeds and insects are the enemy. Right now our paradise could use another “million dollar rain”, so as the definition said, paradise is not a land of luxury and idleness, it takes work to keep it up.  Here is what my paradise looks like right now......

                                          Garbanzo plants with their pretty little lacy leaves.
and a bigger view of the fields, both wheat (the greener color in the back of the picture) and the lighter green which are the new garbanzo plants

A picture through the lens of my camera. My views of the farm, everyday. A sea of green.

 
click here if unable to view the video (also the best browser to read the blog from seems to be Internet Explorer)
                                           Here is what we do to keep our Paradise healthy

On a personal note, my farm-chick paradise looks like this…(in case you haven’t figured it out yet… yes I am a true farm geek who likes to play in the dirt & get dirty)  I know that my manicurist wonders where I have been and what I did to get my hands looking like that ... But it always makes for a good story to chat about!
 

Farm-chick play time.... a pile of dirt, boulders, river rock and my tractor!
These things put a smile on my face.
 and so does baking.....
Peach Pound cake.... a new temptation to bake!  
 
Also, if you have been reading the blog for a while, you may remember the blog post about Karla from New York City who while never having been to Idaho, felt a connection to the land through my blog…… well Karla & a friend have made their way to Idaho and are in the process of exploring it.  I am excited to get to meet them next week!  And to showcase some of our beautiful State, here are some shots of Idaho that is not farmland and to show what small town fun in America looks like...


 
This coming week-end I am traveling to central Washington  to chat with a farm manager who helps run a large irrigated farm.  So more on  that as I showcase other kinds of crops and  see what their "paradise" looks like. 

And while crops  in wide open spaces (plus rocks, dirt and tractors) are my vision of paradise, I realize that everyone has their own vision of what their paradise is, and I hope you get to enjoy it this week-end.   Feel free to email me (idahofarmwife@gmail.com) to ask questions or leave a comment.   All my best, Gayle
P.S.  To update you on the dating thing... well I have gone on a few dates, met some nice men - nothing serious.... and while it is sort of weird dating again after all these years it is an interesting process.  I kind of look at it as going into Baskin Robbins Ice Cream shop and viewing all the selections & then taking the time to find the right flavor that you like the best.  The process may take some time, but once you settle on what you like best then you know what to look for.

Kaitlyn is doing well and she spends quite a bit of time working on her MaryKay business.  She has had a date or two as well, but like me, nothing serious.   She already had the experience of knowing what perfection was and she is selective as well in whom she wants to spend time with.  I know one day another perfect man will share her life, but for right now we get together as much as we can, drink wine & have made some travel plans.  She also put me to work putting in her slate patio over Memorial Day weekend, so it is never boring being a single farm-chick, especially since I know how to use a shovel.... =)


PPS... the other fun things I have been doing is hunting for "treasures" with other daughter, Jen.  It makes her husband very nervous when we are out together finding things to drag home .....