Wednesday, April 28, 2010

When you live on an urban farm...

When you live on an urban farm your work is never done.

You wake up at the first sign of pink in the Eastern sky because your weiner dog is howling and obviously dying of starvation. Who needs roosters anyway?!?

When you live on an urban farm it is important to wear the correct "gear" for working the back 40. Wearing chicken socks are of utmost importance.

When you live on an urban farm your chores are never done... ... and things always break requiring repetitive use of a screwdriver and the phrase "righty, tighty...lefty, loosey".
When you live on an urban farm irrigation water is vital for the success of your crops.
... and you spend the entire day dragging the hose around to flood your raised beds.

While they flood you do crop work. Like deadheading roses and iris. ... and harvesting rose petals for your nieces wedding.
When you live on an urban farm the views are amazing and everywhere is potential and promise of beauty and deliciousness to come.






When you live on an urban farm you feel a sense of accomplishment and wonder...

The beauty, the lavish spectacle of nature, the sheer immensity of the sky...

When you live on an urban farm...

You take lots of advil at the end of the irrigation day and thank your lucky stars you only have a half acre...because, honestly, any more urban farm property would probably kill you.

OK. Urban farmer signing off now and heading for a hot bath. Yikes, how did I get so ridiculously out of shape?

Don't answer that. It was a rhetorical question.

Sigh...

post signature

59 comments:

Ms. A said...

I'm heading for the Advil bottle, too, but certainly not because I've been doing anything productive.

Nancy C said...

Gorgeous! Your urban farm looks like a piece of Heaven!

Tina said...

Thanks for the tour! It was great to see your yard and your gorgeous flowers and future veggies. Your post made me glad we have a sprinkler system our urban farm.

J said...

Urban farms seem like too much work for me.
Plus, I could never sport the socks like you do.

Too trendy for me!

Susan Anderson said...

Is it okay to just wear the socks 'n crocs sans the actual digging and watering?

;)

Julie said...

Good morning Jenny, Opps...Good afternoon Jenny. Farm life no matter if your 1/2 acre, my 4 acres or Terri's 30, it's always lots of work. But oh so worth all the time and efforts. Your garden looks beautiful. Ours, well it still freezes every night so nothing is out there yet, but in another month or so that we'll have plants.
Thank you for sharing. Take care and God Bless!!!

Michele {The Scrap Shoppe} said...

Oh, how your garden grows! Couldn't I come live at your urban farmhouse? I cannot wait for my plants to look as lush as yours!

Together We Save said...

Yes... farm work (no mater the size and location) is never done, beautiful rose petals BTW.

Deb said...

I love your urban farm...and I understand about dragging the waterhouse around...we only have one spicket outside and to water I drag a very long hose..actually it is a few hoses put together to water...those other 2 spickets are on my hubbies 10 year plan...too bad we're going on 11 years...

Susan said...

Awesome, I am an urban farmer also. You should see my farm. Maybe I will post pictures of my dachshund socks.
You need dachshund socks.
Blessings,
Susan

Lisa said...

I so hope that it worked well, the advil I mean! I love your yard!! I need to get on the ball and start reading your story! I saw that it was part two so I have ot go back and start at the beginning! Maybe tonight I can get started! So much fun to visit your blog!!
Hugs, Lisa

Kel said...

I love your Urban farm! I can't even keep pansies alive so I'm guessing I won't ever have any type of farm.

Heather said...

My little girl has the exact same light pink crocs! Only miniature size of course. So comfortable!

Looks like you are one busy woman on that farm of yours!

Unknown said...

I was hoping I'd get to see the garden today! You're right, it is astonishing and WARM looking too! ; )

~Andrea~

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Your urban farm is a beauty, Jenny! It looks like you have a lot of crops coming in already! That big beautiful pool looks like the perfect place to float with a pina colada and rest your tired joints at the end of the day and admire the fruits of all your labors.

Life is good! Enjoy it all!

♥ Pat

jamjar said...

I laughed and giggled through this post and I ask myself the same question every spring..."How in the world did I get so out of shape in one short winter?"

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

Your urban farm puts many gardens and lawns to shame!!

How many pairs of crocs do you own? I own 14 or 15....

Andrea said...

Your work is paying off. The farm looks great.

Julie Kwiatkowski Schuler said...

I think those chicken socks are awesomely cute!
And congratulations to our deer winner!

Pondside said...

That was a good one, Jenny! Our little place is a LOT of work! I've just come in from refereeing a goat feeding frenzy - remember, Millie has horns, so it's a lot of work making sure that the others get to eat too!

Diana said...

Congrats Amy! Love your farm Jenny! I wear the same work shoes that you do but I need to find me a pair of those chicken socks!
Thanks for reminding me that my 1/10 th acre needs watering too!
Love Di ♥

Laura~Pretty Pix said...

Loved the post ♥

jules said...

Wow, I can't believe the difference in our plants compared to yours. Our trees are just barely starting to bud and I have a couple flowers that are about and inch tall!

Your yard is beautiful...

~*~ saskia ~*~ said...

Thank you for the lovely tour, Jenny. Your yard is such a pretty place to be in, sit in, work in, rest in... Enjoy!
xx

Julia Christie said...

Hi Jenny,

What a lot you have done with Your URBAN farm! I am jealous of the bounty I see...things are just starting to really take off here in the northwest.

Once again, a complete pleasure to read your light, witty, downright hilarious post...I've yet to read one when I don't laugh out loud. Looking forward to tomorrow's post.

Smiles

Sarah said...

Jenny, your urban farm is quiet something. How do you find time to do all that you accomplish in a day. I'm amazed. We don't have an urban farm, but I spend most morning out in the garden tending to plants. I could use a few Advil my self.
Congratulations to Amy!
Believe it or not, I've finished my paper early for once. :-) See you for class tomorrow, Mrs. Matlock.
Sarah

KCSherri said...

Chicken socks! I love them!

And I thought of you the other day when I finally sat down and watched, "Food Inc." Wow.

Julie Harward said...

Makes my back ache just to hear it! But I'll bet it is so lovely to sit out in in the evening and admire all that you have done! Come say hi :D

Vicki/Jake said...

Lunch is on you someday...

You're amazing in dirt girl (o:

You and PJ can fight over the Croc's..I'm a bare foot country gal myself..

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

Love those chicky socks and shoes. You certainly know more about gardening than I do. I never heard of flooding the beds. I just know how to take care of grass and bushes and a few flowers. I wish I did have a garden. Too many deer here. We would have to put up an electric fence like our neighbors did. Too much work for me and hubby isn't going to help. Have fun with yours.

Sissie's Shabby Cottage said...

I like your tootsie attire. Chicken socks are the way to go!

Urban farm work looks too tough for me. I do good just to have a small front and back yard.

Love all your flower gardens. Beautiful.

hugs


Sissie

grammy said...

you hard worker you (o:
It may snow tomorrow or the next day....
just a reality check for me about why it is so green there and you have raspberries...mine have a long way to go.
It does look like you have a lot of yard to take care of.

paige said...

I love every single thing about this post. Crocs, weiner dog, rose petals and all. :)
I will be following you now.
Thanks for visiting my blog!

Mrs. M said...

Is that your POOL? I love it!

I don't think I have heard the term "urban farm" before, but I love it! And I am now thinking of my yard that way. Your garden looks fantastic, I bet it does take lots of work (and advil) to keep it all up! At least you have proper foot attire to keep you motivated! :)

Unknown said...

Your garden is beautiful! I used to live on a half acre and had a huge garden. I really miss being able to play in the dirt. Too bad you aren't close enough or else, I'd come over just to play in your dirt!

Mimi said...

HI!!!
We also have a 1/2 acre, so I hear you!!!I want a garden so bad, a salsa garden, but I do love my roses and flowers!!!!
You are one busy gardener!!!!I do not get up that early though!!!!
Have a great day
hugs,
jamie

Keri {One Mama's Daily Drama} said...

Beautiful! My urban farm is probably closer to 0.1 acre and we frequently reach for the pain meds. I can't imagine working a whole half-acre!

Pam D said...

I am QUITE impressed! Wow.. .that's a beautiful garden; you done good! I think if we are lucky we will put out 2 big plastic tubs with a spackling of whatever seeds we can find out of the 25 packets we bought. You actually look like you know what you're doing!

Jocelyn said...

Oh these urban farms are such a pain in the back!!! I can sooooo relate!!!! Just adore your urban farm....when the plants come to harvest, I will be right over to join on the bounty!!

Wishing you a great day!! :-)

Anonymous said...

Oh, what a lovely urban farm you have there ;) Thank you for stopping by my blog and passing along my moss terrarium post to your daughter! We are TRYING (key word ;) to have an urban farm on our back deck, tee hee...but now we are getting ready to move to a bigger yard so I can maybe even have me a real little garden, yippeee! Have a relaxing evening after all that hard work.

Jamie :)

Terra said...

I live deep in the heart of suburbia (much to my chagrin) and I totally say Lefty Loosey, Righty Tighty and sometimes I even have to look at my arms to get that one right. The Chicken socks are not part of my wardrobe but I do have Owl Shoes and Owl PJS!

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous pictures!

Susie said...

Your farm looks great!!

Jeanie said...

I love the Crocs and chicken socks and, of course, the beautiful pics of the results of all your efforts. The closeline picture was a blast from the past for me.

Mid-Atlantic Martha said...

What a great urban farm! You're quite the little farmer(ess)!

Nancy's Notes said...

What a great place, you are one busy lady! Thanks for sharing, love your blog!

Nancy

Stacy said...

Your urban farm is lovely! We do a bit of it, but not on such a big scale. I'm hoping to change that. Oh, I've never had chicken socks, but I did have a flock of chickens. Does that count?

Anonymous said...

Hi Jenny: Love your urban farm and that inground pool....mine is above ground...stop over to see my rural garden and flowers. peas and corn should be coming up in 7-14 days...planted last weekend...and wow did I need the advil afterwards. you want to get a great inner thigh workout?...just dig holes and put seeds in them and squat down over 50 times covering up the holes...what a workout! I slept so great that night! Our neighbors have roosters, chickens and a peacock...I want to get sheep so I can create with wool....

Busy Bee Suz said...

You always crack me up. I am an urban farmer too...only I now wish I did NOT have the 2.5 acres, but I am thankful for Advil!!

I thought I was the only one who said: Lefty loosy..righty tighty? Do you say it out loud as well???
Scary.

Linda @ A La Carte said...

Love your garden and raised beds.

Silke Powers said...

Oh, I just loved that stroll through your beautiful urban farm! It looks like you have created a little piece of paradise! Thanks for finding me - I'll be back often to visit here! :) Silke

~Kristen~ said...

I garden in my pink Crocs, too!!! Great minds, my friend, great minds!!! :-)

Mary Lou said...

Let me guess, at the end of the day, right after the Advil, you do the chicken dance??

Slamdunk said...

Thanks for allowing us to tag along with you on your farm. Keep up the good work.

Amy said...

No stinking way!!!! I am so excited, you have no idea! Oooh, thank you.

And if those are pictures of your yard and not something googled off of the internet, I am insanely jealous of you. Seriously, that yard is gorgeous, and all the hard work will be so worth it when you curl up under one of those shade trees with a book and a raspberry lemonaide (raspberries from your garden, of course.) Wow! I admire your hard work and your dedication to your beautiful yard (that I am still assuming is not actually posted on your blog, because then I may be so jealous of you, only winning that adorable shadow box could make up for it). Wow!

Brenda said...

I am thinking maybe I need me some chicken socks to get me in the farming mood. My garden could use some lovin' but I don't have enough money for the amount of Tylenol I would need to get the job done, LOL! Your little farm is very cute...now could you come on over and help me with mine. Mine is WAAAAYYYY smaller so we could be done sometime before FalL if we start sometime before Summer, HAHAHA!

Sue said...

I also live on a urban farm...smaller than yours. My job consists mostly of making iced tea and watching Mr. Farmer do the irrigating and dead-heading! I do offer up the Advil on a silver platter at the end of the day. After all, we bloggers love our silver.

Beedeebabee said...

My goodness, your urban farm is gorgeous! xo Paulette

Bits-n-Pieces said...

now that's the kinda farm I could live on!! being the country girl that i am! LOL