unicornduke | hmm time goes fast

last week I don't remember much but I spent a lot of time cleaning seed. boring but fun somehow. put the seeds in the seed wiggler, listen to podcasts. I'm a little sad I found out way to late about the Draft Animal Power Days happening relatively near me this weekend but farm :( Someday

It drizzled all day Saturday, with the very outer edges of the hurricane just misting us all day. You could tell it was the hurricane because of the shape of the rain patterns and the movement. None of our groups cancelled which I was surprised about and only one group got rained on in any significant way. In a way, it was good to have a quiet weekend to start, we are just about ready for more crowds, all our new workers got some training time, especially the three folks we are training on tractors (two to be future drivers and one who is afraid of the farm truck but does the picnic site setup, so we put her on the Little Stinker which is a tiny international tractor that is very small and cute but easy to drive)

Sunday was quieter, we had less groups and more time on our hands since it was overcast so I had the workers do all sorts of misc tasks.

Things we got done: displays all done and stocked, hayfort built, outing setup and execution figured out, group bin packing done. String maze done although it needs fixing. Tables moved. General stuff gathered. Drinks and food stocked. New picnic site set up and review gathered from an honest group on what changes we should make (bathroom needs to be closer which is fair). Many corn stalks cut. New display built for the Zucca gourds (I gave a newer worker the option of cutting more cornstalks or being creative and coming up with a good display, and he was very good and creative and did a great job once I got him all the tools he needed). Second group picking area setup.

I was having fun and while my feet were sore, I was full of energy for most of the day. Mom brought me and dad food which was great, because that kept me going. She made chili and it was so tasty. Friday was 7 hours after driving down. Saturday was 15 hours, sunday was 13 hours. I started drinking the Skratch Labs hydration stuff anytime I went in the RST to my desk which helped a lot too. I had success with the cash register cash in/cash out situation and while we were $25 off the first day (probably counting error on my part, I was really tired by the time I counted it out), we were 7 cents off the second day which was due to my mom rounding something. Success!

I tried to hit the road between 9 and 10 yesterday morning, but then we had the farm meeting and talked through all the road work needed on the farm roads that the rain made nice and mucky. Then there was a group outing that we super weren't prepared for, so I ran down and started the campfires and all that. Left around 11:30 in the end. Got home and did the nutrient management reporting that I had been neglecting, given it was due yesterday, it had to get done so I did. Crafting was nice and I finished another tablet woven band. I ate taquitos for dinner.

I'm really tired today, I had a minute when I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't figure out where I was. I thought I was in the adirondacks in a cabin for some reason. Must have been a dream/waking up situation. The hours are a lot. One of my future hopes is that we can bring enough competent people to the farm that we can split the fall weekends so no one person is working 15 hours. my vague thought on it is we have two people start at 8am, to get picking crew going, display stocking and selling area prep ready, pumpkins spread and the two managers work until 4 or 5pm. And two more people start at 12 noon when we open for business, one person managing selling area, the other managing drivers/picking crew until the last outing is done at 9pm. Or maybe 1pm to 10pm. Something like that. So that way, there's overlap during the busiest part of the day which is noon to 5pm but things are still getting done and no one feels this wretched. Monday morning, I was actively sore when i got up. Pogo told me I walked 6km each day.

I did get new rain boots and I'm so glad I did. XtraTuf brand, much lighter than Muck boots, less insulation. The soles are comfy if a little differently shaped than I'm used to but they seemed to need a little break-in time since I don't notice it anymore. My feet didn't sweat too much, not like Muck boots make my feet sweat. They are tight around my calf which I dislike since it's hard to get my pants to tuck into them. I'll need to pick up winter boots though, these are way too light to be dual purpose like the mucks.

I have spent a bunch of time working and managing the reservations for the group outings and the system. A lot of half hour here and there. At some point, I'll get paid for my time, they told me to track it and I have been. Kinda. Not the half hour stuff mostly but definitely the long weekends. I'm back on facebook to make posts which I have discovered is a nigh unusable website now. impossible.

I'm eating a lot of frozen food right now, which is saving my butt. Nothing better than taquitos from the freezer when you're tired. I also stopped by chipotle today since I was dropping a work package at the ups next to it and got today's lunch/dinner. feels like a splurge but I'm hungry and tired and it's hot and filling food.

more busy things this week with work bleh. will write about afterwards.