Bethany Brewster

This year I was able to use my mother-in-law’s farm to learn to plant more things.  I have learned a lot, and hope to continue learning to grow things.  Here are some things I have learned:

1. Tilling up a dry ground is hard
   I have tilled up a little of the garden area that I am using. I started out bringing in a lot of compost, soil, etc. I would add in horse manure, and throw mulch over the top after I planted in it. This system was easier but a lot more costly. As I expanded the garden, I started to run out of garden money. I realized quickly that bringing in bagged compost and soil was not going to be sustainable for me. I started tilling up the ground in some areas, and I have learned that it is easiest to till it up a couple of days after a good storm. I have also realized my favorite tool for this is called a Mattock (garden ax).
2. Rabbits like sweet potato vines
   I knew when I started gardening over there that there was a high possibility that some of the stuff I was growing would get eaten, whither away, or just plain fail. I was starting in a new spot, with a lot of unknowns. One of the things I did know is there are rabbits that run free on the property. What I did not know what that they would love the sweet potato vines, and the pole beans. I have not seen them attack much else so far, but those they have loved eating.
3. Fig trees don’t require a lot of maintenance and can even take a little flooding
   So… I knew there was a high possibility of flooding in certain parts of the field. With that knowledge I attempted to put the fig trees I planted near where it would flood so that they could get all that good water. I ended up putting one of the trees right where it flooded, in fact, water sat there for at least 3 days.

On this day forty years ago I was born. It was not an easy birth, I was early, they needed to take me by c-section. My mom tells me I was in NICU for 1 month, I lost 1 lb in the hospital in that month, and they told my parents to take me home, that was my only hope of surviving.

I think back on what my birth story was, my childhood, and my adult years and I am thankful to be alive, and I know I have a purpose on this earth. I don’t really know what that purpose is, but I plan to use this blog to figure it out.

As I go into today, my goal was to not hit snooze, to treat myself, and have fun. I really, really like sleep, so not hitting snooze was a pretty big deal.  I did not get much rest last night, and I had a somewhat early morning.

Today we have a dessert party scheduled for me and I hope it will be fun, and plan to eat lots of sweets and hopefully get to hang out with cool people.

I am listening to a youtube video with Mel Robbins and she is knocking my socks off. The stuff she says is just so raw and real. My biggest takeaway from it is High Five yourself, tell yourself “You have Got This, I Have Your Back.” It is so easy to self-doubt, talk down to ourselves, and say things about ourselves we would never allow to be said about someone we love.

Today love yourself, and have fun!