Do What You Love

"Find something you love to do and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
​- Harvey Mackay

 A dear friend of mine died suddenly this Monday.  He was only 58 and he left a wife and two kids in college.  It has been hard to focus this week.  I have been thinking about him, his family, and how would I be dealing with this tragic scenario if it happened to me or my husband.   I don’t want to think that something this sudden and unexpected has influenced what I do, but it has.  It is a sad reminder to focus on what is important to me – my family.  How can I spend more time with them?  How many hugs are too many?  What do I do to show and remind them how important they are too me?  How can I delegate more so I am less busy and stressed out?  How can I accomplish all I need to do with the farm and have time to play and have fun?  I know it is possible.  I just need to define what is critical, what is not.  What do I have to do myself, and what can someone else do?
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That leads me to the A3 February topic – Social Media.  I understand its importance, but it feels like just another task.  I have had a Facebook page for 7 years, but I just learned how to use it this January.  The farm has had an Instagram account for 6 months but I have done less than 10 posts.  I want us to have a Stone Coop Farm YouTube account so we can post “How To” videos, but I know nothing about how to do this.  I am excited to learn new things, but social media has never been on the top of my list.  OK it is time to get off the gravel road alongside the information highway!

Luckily for me I have incredible working share folks who help with all aspects of the farm.  One of my working share members, Angie, is a fitness coach and has a great blog and Facebook page.  She shared her link for making kale salad and after watching it I asked her if she would be willing to spend her working share time helping us set up our Stone Coop Farm YouTube account.  She mentioned it to her kids (they are her experts and help her with her videos) and they wanted to know how soon can they start?  Woo-hoo!  I can now learn about how to do this and they want to do a couple videos a month!

We intend to also use these videos to help show our working share folks how to do a job.  This is especially good news because that means everyone is taught how to do it the same way, I don’t have to be the one to explain it to 50 people, and I have more time to do other things.  SWEET! First video is scheduled for February 12th.  The other thing is that it ties in with our desire to be a teaching farm and international resource for growing food.  

Recommended Reading and Viewing:   How to make a Kale Salad by our member Angie (videoed and produced with her kids).  It’s dated February 1, 2016.
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Did you know that eating seasonally is the best way to taste and experience fresh produce?  It also has its maximum nutritional value within hours of harvest.  No tomato ever tastes better than one vine ripened in the summer.  Sweet corn eaten raw within minutes of harvesting will never be sweeter.  Here’s a quick guide for our northern climates on what is in season.  So when you go to the grocery store or farmer’s market consider buying what is in season for the best taste and highest nutritional value.