City Life to Farm Wife

Patience vs. ambition: Can you have both and find success?

Patience is a virtue, yet we’re also told the early bird gets the worm. Which is more important?

I don’t know - but working on the farm is teaching me both.

There is always something to do around the farm.

Our town is booming with farmer’s markets and agrotourism, and I am dying to be a part of it. But I’m learning you can’t force it. Sometimes slow and steady is the way to go (And it’s driving me crazy).

But on the flip side, I’m trying to be ambitious and learn how to do more work on the farm.

First up, power washing. Who knew this would be the most fun chore ever! I feel like a dental hygienist. It’s so satisfying. I now call permanent dibs on the power washer.

Getting all the grime off.

More power!

Shoutout to my husband. He was really patient teaching me how to use it. He wasn’t a pill at all. You know what I’m talking about married couples. Working with your spouse can be veeeerrrryyyy challenging. A lot of face grimaces and weird pet names usually ensue, but seriously he did a great job.

My first job was to clean off the chicken coop.

Inside the coop. We're making nesting ledges.

Michael showing me how it's done.

Then, I wanted to paint it with the girls. Big mistake, but I’m hoping those memories last a lifetime. We used an oil based paint. (My first time working with this kind.) It really sticks to the skin. And as Abby found out, the walls inside the house too.

The wood really soaked up the paint. I used a gallon and a half. I also use rollers. A spray of some sort might have been easier.

My helpers. When we painted the coop it was really hard to tell what we had painted.

Before and after

We thought we did a great job painting all the panels, but once it dried it showed a few… a lot… of mistakes. A second coat is needed.

But finishing the coop is cruising right along. After a few hundred dollars and several man hours, I hope those eggs are delicious.

Now let’s talk about the weather. We’re all thinking it. Go home Mother Nature, you’re drunk. Snow, rain, ice frost. Are we in dog wood winter or locust winter? Only our sweet grandmas know all of them, but they are crazy. Not your grandma – but these little winters that keep popping up.

Hoping the apples are ok so we can make applesauce and pie.

We get buds, lose buds. Who knows what will happen with our apple trees. Will we get apples or will they be mush? Only time will tell.

The one project that is completed is a farm logo. Why do we need a logo? I don’t know. I envision t-shirts. A big thank you to Scott Cureton for designing our vintage logo.

Who would order a t-shirt? I'm thinking really soft material. Maybe a ringer collar or baseball style.

After Mother’s Day we plan to plant the vegetable garden and the sunflower/lavender garden. I know the vegetable garden will be successful and yield some crops. My imagination says the flower garden will be beautiful, but I’m not sure. They are both hardy plants, but it might take a few grow seasons to find the best spot. Stay tuned.

Growing some sunflowers

My husband has an obsession with seeds.

These are for my flower garden.

Grow baby!

We planted a willow tree. Not sure if it did ok through the frost.

No matter the weather, these always survive!

It's ok birdies. Spring is coming!

So back to the question can patience and ambition go hand-in-hand?

A quote said, “We often want it so badly that we ruin it before it begins. Over-thinking. Fantasizing. Imagining. Expecting. Worrying. Doubting. Just let it naturally evolve.”

I believe each trait is important for different reasons and can be balanced to complement each other and hope we can put into practice both to find success.

In the meantime here are some cute animal pictures!