Motherhood and Farming

People want to know how I do it all….

Well…here is the big secret…I don’t.

Above is a photo of our family in June of 2023. I am about 6 months pregnant in this photo and have 7 year old, 6 year old, 4 year old and an 18 month old.

This summer…the summer of 2023 has been very exhausting and at the same time exciting.

The hard part is being pregnant and having a toddler. I just don’t think there is anything easy about that scenario. Being pregnant and working outside all summer is hard.

The early season first trimester exhaustion and nausea trying to start transplants and keep them alive.

Then, the spring rush of getting everything into the ground pregnant and with 4 other small children. It’s hard.

Then, there I am on my hands and knees transplanting 750 sunflowers all summer for 16 weeks in the heat.

Then in October in my 3rd trimester with absolute exhaustion seeking to finish out the last few weeks of harvesting and delivering and then planting bulbs and peony’s 36 weeks pregnant. It is hard.

BUT… it’s also a beautiful life filled with seeing beyond the little years with a glimpse into the future.

My 6 and 7 year olds helped me every week plant and transplant all the sunflowers. We could sow them in trays in less than 30 minutes when working together. I filled all the 128 trays with the potting mix and they plant all the sunflower seeds. I was the slowest link….working as quickly as I could to keep up with the 2 of them.

We never missed a week. I learned to keep it fun…we listened to audio books while we worked. They learned to work hard, and then they were paid also and we talked about money and saving and spending and what to do with money.

It was not perfect, I was not always patient, they were not always cheerful workers, but we all learned a lot and worked together while we did.

Then yesterday…I think I arrived…

My 20 month old was in her little red cozy coup and had backed up to a bed of yarrow that had a few flowers left in it.

She pulled at the bloom and said “louwer” in her toddler attempt to say flower. I said, “yes that is a flower.” She was not satisfies and I could tell she wanted to have that flower. I asked her if she wanted me to cut that flower for her. She got a big smile on her face and said yes.

So I cut the flower for her and she smiled so big and proceeded to smell the flower and then parade around the yard in her coup with her flower.

These are the moments that I seek to treasure on the farm with my children.

There is so much I could say on this topic, but over the past 4 seasons of farming and motherhood I remind myself that this is the life that I am choosing to build. I do this to be outside with my children. I do this to watch them learn to work and grow.

BUT…I don’t do this because it is easy.

I also realize that entire trays of seedling will get dropped or ruined….plants will get trampled….there will be interruptions and children will need food, water, naps, and hugs…

Big kids will need direction…and lessons on kindness and that we should not treat our sibling that way. But I also think it is worth it.

One more important factor…

I do not do this alone…my husband is a huge help to me in anything physical labor like moving compost, mowing, weed eating, tilling, flipping bed, and keeping the farm running. Yes, sometimes that includes him taking all the kids on a bike ride so I can focus for a little while.

I do not do with alone, and I’m so thankful that I can stay home and work and be with my children.

I am also looking forward to the end of the season and snuggling my newborn baby boy by our wood stove in about 6 weeks.

Are you ready to learn more and grow flowers in your backyard with your children? You are in the right place. I have created a SUPER affordable beginners Guide so you can get started planning and growing TODAY so that you also can experience the joy of watching your children and flowers grow together just as I have.