Day One: Moon Sand and Baby Chicks

It is Day One of our temporary new normal. Because of the COVID-19 global pandemic, schools are closed, Jeremy and I are mostly working from home, have been thrown into homeschooling, and are avoiding all social gatherings. 

As farmer-homesteaders, we are prepared for this type of thing. Now, I know the food supply is not in danger of collapsing, and trucks will still be delivering goods to grocery stores, and local farmers will still be growing food for local customers. We are not panicking or becoming survivalist preppers with bunkers full of dehydrated peas. But it’s comforting to know we could grow our own food if we had to. 

Site of future playhouse. Before shot. 

Since I will be home more than usual, I thought I would keep a journal (whenever I can) of how we spend our time during this disruption in our normal routine, if only so I can look back and go, “wow, that was crazy.” At my ‘real’ job doing sustainable agriculture education, we talk a lot about the importance of record-keeping as a way to chart progress, and as a decision-making tool for future seasons. We always emphasize to beginning farmers: “you think you’ll remember this, but you won’t.” For example: how many pounds of radishes did you harvest two years ago? See? Exactly. You need records. I want to remember what this experience was actually like. And because I’m a social person who has been told I can’t socialize, I’m going to be sharing these experiences with you. Will it be an agrarian experience? Somewhat. We live on a farm and will be trying to grow some food. Will it be elegant? With two kids at home? Well, I’ll give it my best shot. 

So far, our activities for today have consisted of a lot of “sensory experiences” for the kids: moon sand made of flour, vegetable oil, and food coloring, and oobleck made out of cornstarch and water. We’ll be getting to the folder of schoolwork later. I have been answering e-mails and trying to figure out how to work from home for the next couple weeks. Jeremy had to run some errands in town and came home with ten baby chicks, which are now cheeping loudly in the living room under a heat lamp, and have been named things like “PeepPeep Peepster” and “Cutie Cheepie” and the like. The kids and I worked outside for a little while, clearing brush from a part of the yard where we’re going to build a playhouse. But it’s drizzly and gray today, so it’s mostly been an inside day. In a few minutes I’ll start cooking dinner, and we’ll be striding into our evening routine. 

I am so grateful to have a husband I love spending time with, kids who are so kind to each other and who are so funny and creative, and a peaceful home with a full-stocked pantry in a beautiful part of the world. I know not everyone out there is so fortunate, and I don’t want to take one bit of my good fortune for granted. It’s going to be an interesting ride, going forward, and I am afraid of the illness and losses so many people will face, but for now, to get through this wild time I am going to try to focus on the simple pleasures of time spent at home with my people.