March Madness

Around here, any reference to the madness of March has absolutely NOTHING to do with basketball, brackets or even the odds of winning.  

Nope…it’s just that little tick, tick…tick. Don’t you hear it?

As the days of March begin to blur, passing by at with an ever-quickening pace, I begin to hear that little tick, tick…tick.  It seems to get a little louder with each passing day.

Market season is coming, 

Market season is coming!

Tick, tick…tick…

While this is a very good thing…sometimes the sense of urgency gets more than a little overwhelming.

There is SO much to do…and there is so little time! Market season starts the first weekend of April...no matter what.

The Market has been part of my life for far more years than any of my “real jobs” that were part of my “career” ever lasted, and we are fast approaching the point when the Boss can say the same thing.  So, you would think that Opening Day would just be…well…another Saturday. In some ways it is always the same, but in some ways every single year is SO very different that we would be more than a little cocky and perhaps a little foolish to think that we got this thing figured out. 

Every year is a unique challenge. And every year, I still have my moments of worry…what if no one comes? …what if they don’t buy anything?  …what if the weather is awful…every single week? What if we sleep through the alarm clock on Saturday morning? 

Last season, I wrote about this phenomenon and posted a number of links to past years.  You can read that HERE.

This March has been complicated by the fact that we have received well over 2 feet of snow.  TWO FEET of snow…in March…in Virginia…to say that is a “complication” is putting it mildly. We’ve also had numerous ice events and nearly 2 inches of rain.  The mud situation has threatened our entire existence at times.  We are incredibly thankful to live on our hill of grass-covered limestone.  At least we know that things dry out fairly quickly. The temperatures are also running far below normal, so the planting schedule that was made with meticulous care in December will have to be revised as the season progresses.

after all the snow the potato garden looks like a swamp

Tick…tick…tick…

We have obtained the potatoes for planting.  Bags and bags are sitting in the shop waiting drier weather.

Tick….tick…tick…

The hay supply is dwindling.  The sheep are eagerly anticipating fresh, green grass.  Can we make it a little longer?

Tick…tick…tick…

The onion plants arrived last week.  More than 3,600 tiny onions are also sitting there (keeping the potatoes company)…waiting.

 Tick…tick…tick…

The broiler chicks REALLY need to go outside.  (It’s been too cold and snowy for them to leave the brooder…and there’s the little matter of GRASS…) But, there are more broiler chicks arriving this week and they will need someplace to live…

Tick…tick…tick…

Sales brochures have been made for the Market….plants are growing…the cooler is clean and functional…seeds have been started…the market freezer has been cleaned and is awaiting stocking…the moneybox is in order…seasonal plans are in order…there are bags in the trailer…a pick-list has been made…there are indeed things to harvest for sale…the Boss has done some plowing and tilling...

Tick….tick…tick…

My mental to-do list goes on…and on…and on….

All the stuff that must be done is not the problem…it’s that blasted ticking!  That’s what’s driving me mad…

Tick… 

     Tick…

          Tick…

Once the Market starts, I finally realize that I will never truly be prepared and most everything eventually gets done…so, we just take it as it comes during the season…and the infernal ticking finally stops…

                                                                                          …until next March.J