Special Secret.

Today my husband gained new found respect and awe for the awesomeness that is 'me the farmer'. Okay, not even close, but he did learn firsthand how grueling a solid five hours of farm work (in 80 ish degrees) can be. We trucked side by side out to backyardharvest, an incredible organic farm run by two very talented, ethical, supernatural-strong people. Here's a summary of the day: we weeded and weeded and weeded the onion beds. John was attacked by a fire ant. I was pierced by briars hiding down in the hay. John's face got sunburnt. I looked over at his boot and thought I saw a brown recluse spider and screamed. He thought it ran up his leg and was forced to strip down to his skivvies in front of the Misses of the farm. My fingernails are filthy and primitive looking. My forearms have an irritated rash from the hay.

We can't wait to go back.

On the drive home I wondered why the work was so rewarding. We didn't leave with any onions for ourselves. And though we were paid, that in itself seemed like an added bonus. Why is it so fun? Why do we enjoy it so much? I have no idea what makes the work so great, but I'd venture to say, it's because it's special. Growing a farm's worth of food is some serious responsibility. The owners are out there every day with sweaty brows and dirty hands racing to cultivate organic food. They work a million times harder than we do. And yet, in a way, for John and me, visiting their farm and working through midday feels like cutting a school day for a field trip. Remember how educational field trips were? How it felt so fun to visit the zoo but you were really learning? John and I come home with a suitcase or two filled with new knowledge about how to grow, when, what kind, sun or shade, etc. Farming alongside Becky is like reading an almanac while you work.


(Note: John loves llamas like a kid on a field trip.)


Which brings me to the special secret learned today that I'd like to share with you. It's sort of a right of passage, I guess, to hand out farmer's inside information. We paid our dues, now we're spilling the beans (yes, so I can attract some readers): a secret trick for how to get rid of flies. Any kind. Any time. Anywhere. We haven't tried it yet, but they do it and there's not a fly in sight. Not even buzzing around their compost pile. All this advice, and just in time for summer grilling.

How to GET RID of Flies.

What you will need:

1. a large ziplock bag
2. water
3. a penny

Directions:

Fill a large ziplock bag halfway with water. Insert a penny into the water and hang the bag outdoors (with string/shoelace). Repeat process if needed indoors.

That's it! No one knows why this works. The most feasible theory is the glint of the sun on the penny hurts their many thousands of eyes. It doesn't matter how. It works.


Equally as mysterious and inexplicable as the penny trick was coming home to find a humanoid llama in our living room.