My favorite purple sweater is turning green. It was one of Bob’s cast-offs. It went through the laundry a few years before we were even married, and came out of a hot wash fitting me perfectly. Like most old clothing, it has far more value than my new clothing, by virtue of the fact that […]
The Math Problem
We couldn’t see a way forward to keep the family farm profitable, afford the labor, and work through our transition. We found the answer in the mail. When’s somebody ever gonna buy that place? I shake my head as we head home past the post office building that sits in the center of our little hamlet of […]
Duct Tape
How I got duct tape in my hair. And why I’m leaving it there. Shannon Hayes It is two o’clock Saturday morning. Yes, I should be sleeping. The kids are sleeping down at the farm with Grammie and Pop Pop. Bob and I need to leave for our farmers’ market at 6:30. But I’m sitting in […]
What dogs and mud taught me about working with family
When everything is at its dirtiest, showing up to face the muck and share the load are the most important steps. I take a tentative step on the woodland trail I’ve been breaking all winter. The snow is too soft today. I sink to my knees. Sighing, I call to the dogs. We abandon the […]