“Do small things with great love.”
Mother Teresa
A multitude of one
I snuck away for a much needed little getaway from the farm as soon as I dropped off the last produce box last Thursday. My destination was Oskaloosa, IA. to catch the last two days of RAGBRAI (Registers Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa). This ride begins every last Sunday in July at the Missouri River and meanders through the state and ends up some 400 miles and 7 days later at the Mississippi River. I think that this was RAGBRAI’s 42nd year. I had ridden the 2 previous years, for the first 2 days of the ride, but wanted to experience more of the eastern, southeastern this year, part of the state. I joined a couple brothers and a sister and team 144 late in the evening at a host home.
It is always a shock for me to see so many thousands of bikers from around the states and other countries all hit the streets in the early morning. I have to acclimate myself to the rules of the road and the verbal signals: biker on, biker off, rumbles, slowing, biker left, middle, etc. Soon I am comfortably on my way and, aahh, what great fun. All of the thousands of bikers feel like one big family to me. We are loving the outdoors, we have the wind in our hair, sweating and working hard and, all the while, gazing at the gorgeous landscape of Iowa ……okay, okay, yes I was born there!
I returned to the farm on Sunday tired but much refreshed. The farm was in the competent hands of my farm interns and was in great order. I am reminded of many small beautiful things in my life that I am very grateful for: the farm business, great interns, wonderful members, family, health to ride my bike, appreciation for the beauty of the world around me, great food, and so much more. I guess it took 4 days away and the open road to remind me of my blessings.
And I cannot be reminded enough.
Have a great week and enjoy the food!
Farmer notes
- Beets are heirloom Bulls Blood and the greens are delicious
- Basil is beginning to bloom but still tasty
- Brassica farmer’s choice is kohlrabi/broccoli/cabbage
- Eat your raspberries pronto since they got hammered by weekend rain
- No camping at the farm due to lack of sign ups
- Record low temperatures for 2 consecutive nights
- We need some good old-fashioned summer heat for the tomatoes, peppers, melons and sweet corn to mature
- Very timely inch of rain last Th.-Sat.
- One third of the deliveries are over for the summer share season
- We are definitely losing daylight already
