First Day in the 80s

Phil started to actually build the greenhouse today. He pounded in corner posts, which was a difficult and labor-intensive task. The metal posts had to be pounded three feet into the ground. Phil is strong, but after the first one, he augured holes a foot deep.

I was impressed: Jadon was helping Phil, and when Phil took a break to help my Dad finish up planting, Jadon took the sledge hammer and actually whacked the pole. I was impressed that he could 1) lift the sledge hammer and 2) hit the pole. He's growing up.

Isaiah helped me in the greenhouse, seeding a flat of rainbow chard and a flat of kale. I potted on until the greenhouse could not take one more tray. That little 10'x16' greenhouse has over 80 full trays, and I have about 200 tomatoes that still need potting on. And I haven't started the peppers! It's good Phil is working on the larger greenhouse.

I planted 10 chestnut trees near this year's few apples. Happily, they require much smaller holes. I also helped my Dad put in the last trees that will fit on his land: 934 chestnuts and 28 fruit trees, with almost 10 tons of humic acids spread today (thanks to the lifting power of Butch's tractor and ingenious tote cutting, that allowed the granular humic acids to spill out while Butch drove carefully near the chestnut trees). Dad's been busy.

In the evening, Joe has a good time with my Dad.

Since the weather hit the 80s today, I watered my little cabbage and beet seedlings that I set out on Friday both in the morning and the evening. I fought discouragement: many of the seedlings have drooped since I transplanted them, despite four waterings in four days. I think maybe I am supposed to harden off plants before setting them out? Except these plants are in the greenhouse, not under artificial light, and I open the greenhouse door as needed. Do the baby plants really need some form of acclimation?

Maybe the plants don't have enough water. Or maybe the watering wand is shooting too hard for tender leaves (when many of the holes on the rose get clogged, the few remaining shoot out like lasers. I know I damaged some plants that way). Maybe I should have watered every day, as they really do not have enough water? Is a Sunday off okay?

Not every plant appears dead. Some appear to be yet living. That is better than my first attempt at broccoli and cabbage, where every plant died. The way I fought discouragement was this: there is a lot to learn. A lot of mistakes to make. That doesn't mean I'm a failure, or a market garden is a no-go. I shouldn't give up. If I have only a few beets live and only a few cabbages make it, that is disappointing, but not a disaster. I may yet have some successful crops, just not as much as I wanted.

So I can choose: rejoice in what I have, or despair over what I lost.

For today, I'll choose rejoicing.