Summer Daze

We have no schedule at all. Only two weeks after the last day of school, and I’m already in a daze. (What day is it again?) Being at home with my girls makes me happy!

Summer days bring about all kinds of happy happy joy joy, which is what Gretchen at Second Blooming wants to know about this week.

Summer means ice cream, popsicles and fresh fruit. Juicy peaches and red, red strawberries. Plump blueberries and tart cherries from Michigan. Farmer’s markets and fresh salad on the table. Grilling most meals so that we don’t heat up the kitchen; less pots and pans to wash. Hamburgers, hot dogs, brats, served with garden fresh tomatoes and green onions and lemonade.

Everyone comes out to play in the summer. In the winter, we hibernate; we bundle up with blankets and sit on the couch. But as soon as the weather gets warm, the neighborhood comes alive. The playground is full of running, jumping and screaming kids. Neighbors walk by and stop to chat. Bedtime gets later and later each night because the sun doesn’t go down until well after 9 o’clock. Bursts of red, yellows and pinks bloom in gardens. The bright colors make cold February seem like a distant dream.

The pool is finally open, and in the afternoon we can go swimming for an hour or so. Jump into that cool, blue chlorinated water under a hot sun to splash around with the kids. At safety break, we bundle up in towels and sit on lounge chairs, almost too tired to move. Until we remember that an icy pop is only a quarter at the snack stand!

Don’t forget summer road trips. Roll down the windows and turn up the radio! Sing at the top of our lungs, play the alphabet game, have a snack, and then wonder how much longer. Tumble out of the car when we get there and get hugs and kisses from waiting relatives. Spend some time away from the worries at home and just relax.

Diving Board

Happy happy joy joy!

What makes you happy?

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A Day at the Farm

It was a clear, beautiful May day at the Jeschke farm in Mazon, Illinois. While I could have spent hours rambling along the country roads and fields, I was there for a reason; to learn about farming. I was among a group of urban and suburban moms, farmers and agricultural experts who got together to discuss farming and farming methods.

The learning process started as soon as we boarded the bus early in the morning. A group of women from the farm answered questions as we drove from city to suburb to country. (For more details about what I learned, keep your eyes open for my blog post at Watch Us Grow.) As soon as we got off the bus, we were able to see a planter ready to go into the field. I was able to climb up into the tractor and talk with the Jeschke’s nephew about the GPS system that guides the planter, and the technology he uses to map the field. High yield areas are planted with more seed, and low yield areas are planted with fewer seeds to give the corn plants and root systems plenty of room to grow and be productive. All the technology he uses is amazing!

https://lemondroppie.com
If you look through the window, you can see how high up we are!

As soon as I climbed down, he was off to go planting. The fields were planted later than usual this year because of flooding conditions in April. You may remember me writing about how those floods affected me. By the end of April in 2012, all the corn and soybeans had already been planted. This year, it was the middle of May and there were still some fields that needed to be planted. Here’s a quick video of the corn planter folding up and going up the road, headed for the fields. (This video is 4 times the actual speed.)

Watch on YouTube.

After the planter left, we walked down the road to see the Field Moms’ corn and soybean acres. We’re going to watch the crops grow online throughout the summer and into harvest.

Throughout the day we talked about how farmers grow crops, feed livestock, and provide food for a growing population. This Memorial Day weekend, as you grill delicious meats and enjoy potato salad and corn on the cob, remember that your meal is so delicious because a farmer helped put it on your plate!

Field Mom Corn Acre
Field Moms’ Corn Acre

 

Field Moms

Tell me; what are you eating this weekend?

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