Meeting People in Person Brings Me Joy
Friends who joined me for a mohair cinch making workshop recently
Have you found that since Covid, you’ve lost the personal connections we had before that? We spend so much time online, on social media and such, that we don’t have real conversations anymore. People say things online they never would have considered in person… at least I hope they wouldn’t! The screens have insulated us from maintaining friendships with people we may not have agreed with all their beliefs, but were willing to listen to their opinions, and didn’t hate them if we couldn’t agree.
When I retired last fall, I knew I had plenty to keep me busy here at the ranch. I had two vegetable gardens, fruit trees I planted a couple of years ago, enough fabric to make everyone I know a few quilts, a wonderful stash of mohair for handcrafting beautiful mohair saddle cinches… the list goes on! I have always been comfortable with my own company, but— I was a critical care RN who also worked in psychiatric and hospice care for many years. I spent a lot of time with people. Listening, holding hands, witnessing the anguish and joy that goes along with human existence. I miss that connection.
So I decided to expand my small farm. I planted a cutting flower garden because I love flowers, inside and outside. I bought a milk cow and her calf. I redesigned my “She-shed” into the Ranch Market I never knew I needed. People came to the market and we talked, I continued my listening, offering advice on what does and what doesn’t grow well up here. I showed new friends and neighbors how I set up my gardens, how I did targeted watering, and how we kept the rabbits from eating everything before we could pick it. I’m adding herb gardens scattered around the property, too- culinary herbs for cooking and medicinal herbs that have health benefits.
I cancelled my old website, which was only a blog, and went hog wild putting everything on it. I built an online store and had everything I could possibly sell on it, but it wasn’t the same as having someone come by the market, have a taste of what I baked that morning with a cup of coffee or tea. I love sharing what I have with people, but I wasn’t really connecting in the virtual world I had created. So I closed the online store this week.
Going forward, I want to connect with people by email, phone, and in person. I send out a weekly email with recipe books, workshops you can sign up for to learn something new, and meet interesting new people at the same time. I want to share the bounty of our ranch with my neighbors who come hang out at the Market with me. I sent a quick reminder email the day before our market days. I’m sticking to twice a month for the market; 1st and 3rd Saturday, which leaves me time for family and friends, and workshops.
Happy Summer Solstice. Enjoy this longest day of the year with someone.
Pretty Cow and Beefcake asking for apples from a young visitor to the Ranch Market
SOOOO- The vegetables are planted, not as early as I would have liked due to a late hard frost, but they’re growing. Beefcake, the steer, has an appointment with the butcher so we’ll have “milk-fed beef” (he’s still nursing from his momma cow) in addition to his regular feedings- ready in early October. Pretty Cow has been AI’d (the original, not the computer kind). I had her genetically tested and she is A2A2, so her milk is less likely to cause digestive issues. I manage to get a little milk for us, and to make some cheese once in a while. Still working on getting the Big Fridge working again so I can start milking twice a day & kick the steer off.
I have lots of home-canned goodies available to hold us over until the gardens are producing. I’ve had two canning workshops, and one mohair cinch workshop so far. I’d love to have you join me for a workshop. Lots of plans, lots of dreams. I hope to be able to share them with y’all for many years to come.
