Actually, I feel like a wrung out, stomped on, kicked around washcloth. It’s been a difficult couple of days. Wally and I rarely fight, but on Sunday, there was a major misunderstanding and the crap hit the fan. Big time. I do not realize (nor did Wally) how sensitive I am. While some people may not agree with this statement, most of the time, I’m doing what I can to help other people and whenever the people I’m trying to help turn around and bite me in the butt, it does me severe damage. I spent most of yesterday curled up in a ball crying; as well as listing all of my hoofed animals for sale. I was ready to pack my bags, my dog and my cats and head back North. Really.
Wally has since apologized and hopefully it won’t happen again, at least not to this extent. I recognize that arguments and disagreements are part of a relationship, but sometimes it goes too far.
So, today I’m laying low and re-hydrating. Between crying and sweating, I think I lost several pounds of water weight. It’s been bloody, freaking hot and humid and it’s absolutely miserable doing anything outside. It’s so hot and humid that even inside is not all that comfortable. I have seven quarts of tomatoes in the canner right now; seven more quarts waiting to go in and I plan to go down to the garden and pick another bucket of tomatoes to can. The goal is 50 quarts of tomatoes and I’ve got a long way to go.
I haven’t reported on how the Charlotte Farmer’s Market went: it ROCKED! We (only I went, but the farm is Wally’s and mine) did really well and were extremely well received! Our table was set between two vegetable sellers who were very nice. In fact, one of them filled two large boxes full of vegetables that they were going to throw away for me to take home to the chickens. Happy chickens! It was beyond exhausting. Between getting up at 4 AM, doing all of the chores, loading the truck (Wally helped with that), driving to Charlotte and then as soon as I got there, it was nonstop. I don’t think I’ve talked so much in a long time! Hopefully this week Wally can go. I warned him that there was no sitting down and lounging like we did at the Conover market. But there’s lots more people to watch.
There was a vendor at Charlotte selling sweet potato vines! I was thrilled to find them and bought several bunches for the rabbits. They ate those up like they were candy! The rabbits are all doing really, really well. We’ve been blessed with some rain so the grass is staying in good shape. The rabbit manure is helping it to grow really well! Unlike other farmers in the area, I have not had any blight in my tomatoes which I believe is due to the deep mulching I did with rabbit manure and spent hay. My problem with the tomatoes is that they have grown so crazy it’s difficult to harvest the tomatoes.
I’m already getting e-mails and telephone calls from people reserving product. I’ve got lots of rabbits to get processed. The wonderful man who made our rabbit tractors, etc. made me a version of a tool called a Rabbit Wringer. It is a device to kill rabbits using cervical dislocation (the method I use is called the Broomstick Method, which works, but putting the rabbits on the ground and positioning them is difficult). Using a Rabbit Wringer, you don’t put the rabbit on the ground so there’s a bit less struggle. He said he’d bring it over today. Hopefully it will work well.
Potentially good news on the rabbits. I think we are closer to getting them Animal Welfare Approved. I’ve had to make some changes to how the does are kept while kindling and until their babies are close to six weeks old, but it’s all good. Of course I got this news on Monday when I was in such bad shape and ready to sell all of the animals and move back North. That would have been a crying shame because we’ve come so far with this farm.
So, today is going to be an easy day for me and I don’t care who thinks it should be otherwise. I need to give Michelle some Michelle Time. But then again, if I don’t can tomatoes, they’ll go bad and I have to take care of the animals so it isn’t going to be a complete day of Michelle Time.
Until later …