Just three weeks ago it was snowing, today it's 78 degrees and thunder storming. The trees are leafing out so fast you can practically watch it happen and all my seedlings NEED to get in the ground TODAY. I bought a broadfork to prep my soil this year and so far I have really happy with how it works. Rather than rototilling which turns the soil over, the broadfork simply loosens the soil but keeps the layers intact which reduces the weed seeds brought to the surface. Also, while my tiller goes down about eight inches, the broadfork loosens to 12 to 14 inches. It will hopefully result in less work in the garden this summer with weeding. It makes me think that sometimes it may not be helpful to go turning everything over, but rather to loosen things up. I am still marinating on this idea and will probably revisit it at some point.
I am battling the particular anxiety that comes to me this time of the year, that the weeds, grass, trees, and garden will get away from me. It's easy for it to happen when growth is so explosive, but the anxiety doesn't make me a better gardener, it makes me want to hide. So this year I am trying to talk myself off the ledge and enjoy what is getting done and just make note of what is still waiting. Prioritization is not a new concept (Seven Habits of Highly Effective People anyone?) but it is essential on the farm. I am so easily distracted by the urgent (and often by the interesting) that I allow jobs that really need to be at the head of the queue to get lost in the shuffle. Taking time each morning to plan and evaluate helps my weeks feel less like a wagon careening off a cliff and more like a riding one down a hill.