Seeds are Hope

I often hear that things are only going to get worse before they get better, that the economy isn't done crashing yet. It's depressing, and frustrating, but I can't let all that stop me from hoping things will get better. In my opinon, if you can plant seeds; you can plant hope. Really, that's exactly what they are. Hope. Life. All tucked into a tiny shell to protect them from the bad things in the world until it's time for them to sprout and reach for the sunlight.

2010 was the year of insanely high hay prices. It made me ask myself why I'm even buying this stuff when I have unused land and running water. So I decided to do something about it. I asked my neighbor if he could drag his tractor in a large area that was fairly clear so I could plant my own alfalfa hay. And he did.

I fenced it up to keep the cows out using old fencing from where the workers replaced it with newer chain link. I whipped up a homemade gate from a corral panel and some rope in case we need to drive in there again. I ordered seeds. A whole big bag of alfalfa seeds. Thousands of little seeds of hope...

The other day I spread all of those seeds by hand. I did half the field in the morning and half that evening. I was going to make a seed spreader with an old milk jug, but it seemd silly when my hands worked just as well.

I haven't set up my hose and sprinkler yet. But the powers that be took pity on me today and rained on my alfalfa field. I don't imagine I will be able to grow enough hay to supply my animals from this plot, but I hope I can.

In other news, There are two tomato seedlings sprouting in the greenhouse. Spring is on the way!

First Tomato Plant of 2012