I'm in a terrible fix! (those of you who have seen the musical "Oklahoma" know this song!)
Well, you've heard the story of the chickens. That was only the beginning. Then comes farmer's markets. Last year, my home town held them for 2 hours on Wednesday nights before church (and we're plentifully supplied with churches here!). Growing up the way I did, and knowing the way I live now, I'm just not going to take a cooler along, shop before going to church, and come home with either wilted or half-frozen produce. So, I went to the Marion Pride meeting.
If memory serves, it took me all of 5 minutes to convince them to switch the date and time to Saturday mornings from 9-12. Especially in summer, produce will be fresher, it'll be cooler, people will be free, and they'll want to shop. We'll even have it in the park with all the play equipment for the kids, and I hope to include the local 4-H and FFA doing small animal shows. WIN WIN!
I thought it was a one-off deal. I achieved my objective, but they wanted me to come back. Imagine my surprise when I read an article in the paper that listed me as one of the Pride committee members! OOOOOH KAYYYYYYY! Well, I HAVE been trying to market our eggs and produce, so I grabbed that bit in my teeth and took off.
I gave them new slogans for the signs they put in people's yards who have awesome landscaping. I kept advocating farmers' market, and marketing to the 2 local lakes that people come from miles around to camp at. Then I learned that we're planning a Celtic Celebration on March 3. It'll be $15 a head with dinner and entertainment provided. We'll even sell glasses to fill with Guinness later. OK, you might not know me. I was born German but I have strong Scottish tendencies. This was sounding way too Irish. I guess I contributed to it when I suggested that we serve barmbrack. (In my own defense, I did suggest that we include a thistle motif!)
Barmbrack is an Irish fruit bread. Comment and I'll post the recipe. The day that I was chasing my runaway horses was the day of the meeting, but I got Pam some samples a couple of days later (since I gave my first loaf to my horse rescuers!). She called back and wanted my recipe. I also found that, in my absence, I was placed on the farmers' market subcommittee. Well, what's a Fearless Farm Frau to do? DO IT. Tomorrow, I'll be making individual muffin-sized barmbrack. Plus brainstorming for the farmers' market. Plus writing my next newspaper column. Plus doing a blog for CAPPER's/Grit magazines. Plus raising my kids. Plus doing my critter chores. Plus laundry. Plus getting an outline put together for my presentation on permaculture for Butler County Community College later this month (which I also got volunteered for, LOL).
Oh yeah, and I'm still not sure what duties I'll have on Saturday, but I DO know that I need to be there in the morning to help set up tables. I'll have to be on hand for the event--either serving, waiting tables, or washing dishes. Any way it shakes out should be fun. It sounds like we have some great musicians coming and I'm looking forward to hearing what they do. The food should be awesome too--just wait till you taste my barmbrack!
I was thinking hard about this topic, and I CAN say no. Sometimes I get overloaded but if it's something or someone I believe in, the answer is NEVER no. I've got wide shoulders for a reason. Sometimes it does feel like I take on the weight of the world, but it always lightens eventually. Granted, I wouldn't be able to do it without my family and friends. They're the support that I need. No matter how trying the kids are, no matter that the toilet seat got left up, I have an incredible array of family and friends. Thank you ALL.
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