Labor Day is around corner . While the rest of the country packs in one last bit of summertime fun , we hobby farmers wo n’t be loiter in the hammock . Ironically , the three - day holiday weekend concur with acme crop , when everywhere we look we see down of pumpkins , bushel of apple and garden layer needing fall cover crop . In other dustup : We see work — probably not a prime time to break out the grill .
However , Labor Day weekend reminds us that farm living should n’t be all work and no romp . The majority of us probably chose this homesteading lifestyle because we entertain a inscrutable desire to dig our hand in the soil , grow our own food and eat from the garden class - round . Just as with summer food processing , the key to a successful harvest time is keep a balanced perspective . It does take time and labor to attain that continual to - do lean , but you must also realise that no matter how much try and time you put in , you ’ll never be “ done ” harvesting this clip of yr .
In the life of Labor Day , here ’s how we efficiently use of our prison term here on ourWisconsin farmas we process the garden harvest :
1 . fall in Down TasksOf course it feels overpowering to look at pumpkins in the subject when you take to make a pumpkin pie for a potluck tonight . The key to continue your sanity is to unwrap each cock-a-hoop project into multiple steps over several days .
On Day 1 , we glean the pumpkin vine . On Day 2 , we roast and puréthem , allowing ample prison term to cool . On Day 3 , we then have the joyfulness of broil piewithout all the strain . Taking piffling bite pull in the harvest realizable and gives us a feeling of accomplishment when the daytime ’s chore is fully checked off .
2 . Prioritize and PlanRemember , not everything needs glean and process immediately . We ’re at the tail end of harvest our pickling cucumbers , and we find they pickle well ( and keep that compaction ) when we work on them as close to harvest as possible . So tonight , we pickle cucumbers , and the broccoli that want blanched and frozen waits until tomorrow .
3 . drop a line a Meal PlanIt may sounds a little nerdy , but we find writing out a hebdomadary repast design help us maintain balance . Without a repast design , we tend to fall into super quick meals , like a canonical sandwich or cheese and crackers , rather than savour all the fresh veggie we worked so hard to produce .
repast planning also assist us be more effective in preserving , as we can combine tasks . For model , when it starts to get cool , we hunger our favorite Broccoli Cheese Soup . We ’ll the design a larger broccoli processing academic session around the soup making , so we can blanch all the broccoli at once . We ’ll practice some that nighttime in the soup and freeze the residuum .
4 . Switch Up TasksIf your body aches and feels sore , everything slows down , so it ’s important never to do the same motion continuously for too long .
“ Varying your activity and not doing any one thing for too long is one of the good thing you may do for your body , ” order Liz Brensinger , our champion who co - ownsGreen Heron Tools , a company that designs ergonomic hand tools for woman farmers . “ in person , now that I ’m in my fifty , I ’m more acutely cognizant of my dead body after I ’ve been working in the same placement for too long and know to change tasks . ”
5 . soften Your FeetEven as you ’re switching up tasks , there ’s no getting around being on your feet for minute at a time . We ’ve placedgel - filled matsin our kitchen to offer support and facilitate pressure on our heels , shoulder joint and back . The 1 we use are invent without toxic heavy metallic element and make a huge difference in our power to stand for farseeing periods of time .
6 . Have FunAbove all , remember to keep things fun . If you begin get tippy over your Labor Day to - do leaning and envious of friends ask off to go fishing , take this as a sign of the zodiac that you need some time off . permit yourself to roll out the grill for a farmstead Warren Earl Burger party — topped off , of course , with the heirloom tomatoes and green you already reap .
savor the good living ,
< < More Farmstead Chef > >
