Monthly Farm Report: April

If I were to write a letter to the month of April it would simply state:

Dear April,

You were a force to be reckoned with. Please ask your friend May to be calmer and kinder.

Sincerely,

An Exhausted Farm Wife

What a whirlwind of a month that we had. Frost, freezing, sleet, tornadoes, days upon days of rain, clouds that seemed they would never give way to the sun. As you can imagine, April tried our patience one too many times. For when you are running a seasonal farm stand and you kick off your season with hundreds of flowers and plants, the weather is a really big deal.

We spent most of our days unloading flowers in the morning once the weather warmed up enough, only to then load them back into the greenhouse at night to protect them from any weather related threats. My husband, who is the definition of determination and perseverance, would then have to get up several times during the night to ensure that the propane tanks were working properly, so as not to lose any of the flowers he had carefully nurtured over the last two months. 

Then came the fierce tornadoes that swept through our area, leaving many with atrocious damage to their homes. By God’s grace our farm came out nearly unscathed, only partially taking down our high tunnel. Yet even amidst the slight damage we had, we were beyond grateful that because the high tunnel took the brunt force of the wind, it protected and saved our large greenhouse from any damage whatsoever. 

Towards the end of the month the weather began to calm and become more springlike and we thought we were in the clear. That was until we suddenly lost our water source due to our pump breaking at the worst possible time. For, as it turns out yet again, when you are running a flower stand, water for those plants are absolutely vital as well. Thankfully, because of my husband’s quick thinking and genius ways of problem solving, we were all able to pitch in and get them watered…even if it did take 5 gallon buckets, watering by hand with a mason jar, and ultimately running about 300 feet of hoses from our house to the field where the greenhouse is located. 

If there’s one thing April has taught me, it would be trust and reliance. Trust that comes when you are literally living out the truth of God looking after the sparrows and lilies, and also giving us exactly what we need at the proper time. Reliance that comes when we are dead-beat exhausted, yet moving forward in his supernatural strength that is graciously given, helping us to endure and stay in the race.

So it is now, that we welcome in the merry month of May. And on this beautiful first day, I am filled with joy and hope. For the growth springing forth in the form of onions, potatoes, and budding strawberries is proof that goodness is rising up. The shining warmth of the sun beaming brightly upon the flowers amplify their vibrancy and fill human hearts with gladness. 

Welcome, May. We’re thrilled you are here.