I read a story this past week – possibly apocryphal, but right now, who cares? – about shoppers in a Trader Joe’s who got into a fistfight over the last package of frozen waffles. My first thought: isn’t an indefinite home quarantine a great time to learn how to make your own waffles? My second thought: Americans display Black Friday tendencies even in the face of an unprecedented global crisis.
Our county is sparsely populated, especially compared to much of the rest of the state, but we have an extraordinarily high percentage of elderly residents. We’re following the “flatten the curve” guidance and will be on self-isolation for at least the next two weeks. I’ll be entirely honest: this doesn’t really change our normal lives at all; we’ve regularly gone two or more weeks without leaving the farm and without encountering other people. So it’s business as usual for us here, with the added incentive to get lots of seeds started and spring planting done; thankfully, the weather ahead looks perfect for outdoor work.
Some ideas if you, too, are staying home to protect your community: plan your garden! Make soup! Start seeds! Bake bread! Cook a pot of beans! Go on a long walk! Grow some microgreens! Make yogurt! Dust off your sewing machine or your knitting needles and do something creative and relaxing! (I’m super-excited to see that “visible mending” is now a legitimate trend – and I have a big pile of socks to repair!) Start a compost pile! Read some great books! Make waffles so other people can fight over the frozen packets! Make the most of this difficult situation and learn something new. Enjoy unexpected time with loved ones and limit your news access, too. (Again, easier said than done.)
Be calm, be kind and be gentle – with yourself, and with others. I hope we get through this and come out better and stronger on the other side. Andrà tutto bene, friends.
Finding Quiet Farm 
Thank you for this positive post today. My kids and I are stocked for crafts, cooking, homeschooling workbooks, fun projects and a new 750 piece puzzle. Looking forward to actually slowing down a bit with no outside activities and helping our community in any way we can. Stay healthy. XOXO
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Thanks, Sara. Please send us your puzzle when you’re finished. 🙂 Stay healthy and well.
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I do appreciate having a personal food store and the habits of eating at home and cooking for ourselves about 90% of the time. This may be a great wake up call for our society to commit to some of those “old-fashioned” habits and patterns that allow families to have a sense of security for their own self reliance in times of global crisis. Thanks for your post!
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Noell, if there is any silver lining to be found in this crisis, I do hope that a renewed focus on self-sufficiency comes out of it. Much like September 11 and the 2008 recession, perhaps we’ll see a return to these “old-fashioned” activities like cooking and canning and gardening and a commitment to taking better care of ourselves in general. Stay healthy.
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Rebuilding old raised beds, and the soil in them in time for planting. I think we just may need a good healthy garden this year.
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Jim, I’m definitely planting a lot more than usual as well. We have the space for it, and I’m hoping to donate quite a bit of fresh produce to our local food bank.
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I could not agree more! Today’s agenda, let’s see, banana nut bread to make, couscous with vegetables and a roasted pepper salad……..well stocked and hunkering down. Just plain grateful. Tout est bien✌️
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Agreed, Karen. Take good care of yourself, and cook some delicious food. Our best to you and yours.
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Elizabeth, your newsletters continue to inspire~thank you!
I’m finally ready & willing to start seeds and plant a garden. Do you have a seed source to recommend?
Life is changing at record speed. . . . . So glad you are this far into your farm dream!!!
Growing, Karen
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Hi Karen, Botanical Interests and Lake Valley Seed are two great Colorado seed companies. Starting plants from seed is definitely worthwhile if you have the time and space; I’d also recommend buying plant starts for some vegetables, but given current circumstances you might not be able to buy any starts. Good luck with your garden, and please let me know if I can provide additional resources. Stay healthy.
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