September 22nd - We Walk Amongst Fellow Gourds

Created on September 22, 2025

2025   ·   chicken   coops   peppers   radishes   squashes   pumpkins   gourds   ·   daily-notes

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TL;DR

We moved chicken coops then harvested peppers, radishes, winter squashes and pumpkins. Gourds are a lot of heavy lifting work.

A Rad-ish Life

I hated radishes as a kid, mostly because young taste-buds are sensitive and prefer not-so-spicy things, but also because they were put in to things I had to eat whether I liked it or not. Now in the latter half of my life, they act as a surprisingly refreshing addition to otherwise obligatory salads.

It’s the little things, like finding your stuff in the place you left it yesterday undisturbed by other worldly creatures inhabiting shared spaces, which make the day-to-day efforts…versionable. Doing something and knowing you can return to expected results is an important building block to continuity. When someone works their whole self on something and then it disappears, it eats at a conscious sense of being.

When I walked the seeder across this bed I had also disked about a month ago, I hadn’t thought how satisfying it would be to find them growing in the same place I had sown them. No one tilled them up, or pulled them out or bitten them through row cover or sun baked them and dried them before they could grow up. No one stole them or poisoned them or cooked them or thrown them into a landfill. I did a thing and it worked its way out.

When I was a kid, I never thought too hard about what exactly I wanted to do. Along my way, I found small but meaningful things, but not a one compare to being a husband, a father, and a worker. Farming is very hard work, a radical sort of life because no one gets into agriculture for the money; however they get into it, getting out never feels right. I know I want to do these things, but living the life means soulful wins at the expense of financial poverty.

Walking Amongst Fellow Gourds

Some days I feel like a vegetable, tired and hurt and ready to sleep before I fully awake. Coffee helps, though fresh air and field work also gets the job done in more ways than one. At this time of year, this includes walking on earths that are covered in pumpkins, winter squash, and all manner of specialty gourds. Crawling, squatting, grabbing and harvesting in these fields is what I can only imagine a fictitious creation protagonist might feel making the universe as they see fit.

Some days, I feel like one of the gourds I plucked today, taken close care of until whose time is just right to harvest. Then a choice to grow is taken away, I am shelved in a cool and dark corner, the only thing to do is wait for the next step…like crops of a field, always perishable and bound to be either sold or composted.

But to those who live in a genuine way, then maybe we are like good gourds. If I chose to grow only to then rot and cause the same to those around me, then I am like so many modern arcs but at a personal scale…just another petty and meaningless gourd. I may as well be sounding brass, a nothing to return to the earth which doesn’t take kindly to useless things it does not profit from. I must store for a long time and be willing to give a bit when the time is ripe.

As a gourd, I would understand that I am but one of so many others, and though I am unique I am not special otherwise. I makes no sense to be jealous of the other gourds or haughty of my spots and stripe, certainly not to raise them as a flag or pretend to be better than others around me. I shouldn’t spoil before harvest and should hide away under my prior leaves from the peckings of wild turkeys and gnawings of field mice and forest deer…and most certainly not direct ill towards those creature who do so towards me and mine.

Good gourds are pleased by the simple truths of life, the cycle of growth and decay, the fair and responsible citizenship in the natural world, the sweet wind and warm sunlight if the situation allows. To bear, to believe, to hope, to endure…this is life as a good gourd.

AI Summary from Field Notes

I had to defer yesterday’s blog until now for the second time in six months. The first time was due to my mom visiting and there are more important things in life than blogging. This time it was due to some tech issues with the GoPro resetting the date and time, then for some reason my homegrown process was not downloading them and properly associating them with this blog post. The problem is fixed now, but the delay will haunt me for hours, likely.

Summary

Okay, let's tackle this query. The user provided a detailed summary of field notes from a farm intern and wants a consolidated version of the main themes, activities, new things, questions, and suggested actions. First, I need to make sure I understand the original summary. The original has sections for each category, but the user wants it distilled into a final summary. The key is to combine all the points from each section without redundancy. Looking at the main themes, the original lists five points: farm operations, crop management, sustainability, seasonal planning, and learning. I should check if these are the primary themes. The activities include moving coops, egg washing, harvesting various crops, watering, feeding, preparing for rye, and garden maintenance. The new things are tractor switches, elastic radish handling, gourds, gator attachment, decomposition in peppers, and byproducts. The questions are about eggplant washing, pepper storage, gourd timing, rye planting, decomposition, and waste cycle. The suggested actions are monitoring peppers, harvesting gourds, testing eggplant washing, documenting rye, expanding feed, and tracking store window. Now, I need to condense these into a concise summary. Start with main themes, then activities, new things, questions, and actions. Make sure each section is clear and not too detailed. Avoid repeating points. For example, the original mentions the intern's learning process under themes, which is part of the learning theme. The activities are all the tasks the intern did. The new things are the things they encountered for the first time. The questions are the research topics, and the actions are the next steps. I should check for any overlaps. For instance, the use of byproducts for animal feed is part of sustainability, so that's covered in the themes. The suggested actions should be in bullet points or numbered lists, but the user wants a consolidated summary, so maybe using bullet points under each category. Also, ensure that the key points from each section are included. For example, in the main themes, the farm operations and crop management are covered. The new things include the tractor switches and the gator attachment. The questions are about why eggplants rot when washed and how to store peppers. The suggested actions are about monitoring storage, harvesting gourds, etc. I need to make sure that the final summary is comprehensive but not too lengthy. Maybe use brief phrases for each category. Also, check if the original summary had any specific details that need to be included, like the gator attachment for rye planting or the store's window timeline. Those are important for the suggested actions. Alright, putting it all together now, making sure each section is clear and concise.

Consolidated Summary

Main Themes

  1. Farm Operations: Daily tasks like harvesting, watering, feeding, and equipment maintenance.
  2. Crop Management: Harvesting techniques for eggplants, peppers, and gourns, with focus on storage and timing.
  3. Sustainability: Utilizing byproducts (e.g., sunflowers, tomatoes) for animal feed to reduce waste.
  4. Seasonal Planning: Preparing for rye planting and managing seasonal crop timelines.
  5. Learning & Adaptation: Intern’s role in observing, experimenting, and improving farm practices.

Key Activities

  • Harvested and stored eggplants, peppers, and gourns.
  • Maintained animal feed using sunflowers and tomatoes.
  • Documented rye planting processes with the gator attachment.
  • Monitored gourd storage timelines and store window progress.
  • Assisted in farm operations, including moving coops and testing new methods.

New Discoveries

  • Eggplant Washing: Eggplants spoil faster when washed, requiring alternative preservation methods.
  • Pepper Decomposition: Factors triggering spoilage in peppers need investigation.
  • Gator Attachment: Efficiency and mechanics of the gator for rye planting.
  • Byproduct Use: Sunflowers and tomatoes as animal feed, reducing waste.
  • Store Window Timeline: Impact of store window installation on gourd storage.

Research Questions

  1. Why do eggplants rot faster when washed? How can this be mitigated?
  2. How to store peppers to prevent decomposition?
  3. What is the optimal timeframe for gourd harvesting?
  4. How does the gator attachment work for rye planting?
  5. What factors trigger pepper decomposition, and how can it be prevented?
  6. How can byproducts like sunflowers be better integrated into the farm’s waste cycle?

Suggested Actions

  1. Monitor Pepper Storage: Implement tracking systems to prevent spoilage.
  2. Harvest Gourns Proactively: Schedule regular pickups to avoid overstocking.
  3. Test Eggplant Washing Alternatives: Explore drying or minimal water methods.
  4. Document Rye Planting: Record gator attachment details for future reference.
  5. Expand Animal Feed Options: Use other byproducts (e.g., corn stalks) for snacks.
  6. Track Store Window Progress: Assess its impact on gourd storage and timeline.

This summary captures the intern’s role, challenges, and opportunities for improvement in farm operations, emphasizing sustainability, efficiency, and learning.

Part 1

Okay, let's tackle this query. The user provided a transcript of field notes from a farm intern and wants me to identify the main themes, list activities, new things encountered, questions for research, and any suggested actions. First, I need to read through the transcript carefully. The intern talks about moving chicken coops, egg washing, harvesting eggplants, bell peppers, radishes, and gourds. There's also mention of watering animals, feeding them snacks, and preparing for winter rye planting. Main themes would be the daily tasks on the farm, the different crops being harvested, the importance of timing in harvesting, and the use of the tractor and equipment. Also, the intern's learning process and the farm's sustainability efforts. Activities: Moving coops, egg washing, harvesting various crops (eggplants, peppers, radishes, gourds), watering animals, feeding them snacks, preparing for winter rye. New things: The intern mentions learning about tractor switches, the difference in harvesting eggplants vs peppers, the timing for gourds, and the use of the gator for rye planting. Also, the process of using elastics for radishes. Questions for research: Why do eggplants rot faster when washed? How does the timing for gourds affect their storage? What's the best way to prevent decomposition in peppers? How does the gator attachment work for rye planting? Suggested actions: Continue harvesting gourds, monitor pepper storage, research on eggplant washing, prepare for winter rye planting, and maybe study the decomposition process in peppers. I need to make sure I didn't miss any details. The intern also mentions the gourds in the garage and the need to use them before they rot. Also, the mention of the store's windows and the timing for opening. That might relate to the need to use gourds before they can't be stored. Check if there are any other things. The intern also talks about the pigs and chickens eating snacks, so that's part of the activities. The sunflowers being tossed to chickens. Also, the part about the cedar attachment on the gator for rye planting. That's a new thing. Maybe the intern is learning about the equipment. So, compiling all that into the sections as requested. Make sure to list each part clearly.

Main Themes

  1. Farm Operations and Daily Tasks: Harvesting, watering, feeding animals, and equipment maintenance.
  2. Crop Management: Timing and techniques for harvesting different crops (eggplants, peppers, radishes, gourds).
  3. Sustainability and Waste Reduction: Using farm byproducts (sunflowers, tomatoes) for animal feed and minimizing waste.
  4. Seasonal Planning: Preparing for winter rye planting and managing seasonal transitions.
  5. Learning and Adaptation: The intern’s process of learning tractor operations, crop handling, and farm systems.

Activities Performed by the Intern

  1. Moving Chicken Coops: Adjusting coop positions.
  2. Egg Washing: Cleaning and preparing eggs for storage.
  3. Harvesting Crops:
    • Eggplants (washed and stored).
    • Bell peppers (harvested and stored in buckets).
    • Radishes (harvested with elastics for transport).
    • Gourds (butternut squash and other types).
  4. Watering and Feeding:
    • Watering pigs and chickens.
    • Feeding animals snacks (tomatoes, sunflowers).
  5. Preparation for Winter Rye:
    • Researching and planning for rye planting.
    • Monitoring the gator attachment for rye seeding.
  6. Garden Maintenance: Tossing sunflowers and managing gourd storage.

New Things Encountered

  1. Tractor Switches: Learning about tractor safety switches and their importance.
  2. Elastic Radish Handling: Using elastics to transport radishes efficiently.
  3. Gourds as Storage: Managing butternut squash in a cubic yard and other gourds.
  4. Gator Attachment for Rye: Understanding the gator’s role in winter rye planting.
  5. Decomposition in Peppers: Observing how peppers might rot if not stored properly.
  6. Farm Byproducts: Using sunflowers and tomatoes for animal feed instead of waste.

Questions and Future Research

  1. Eggplant Washing: Why do eggplants rot faster when washed, and how can this be mitigated?
  2. Pepper Storage: How can peppers be stored to prevent decomposition?
  3. Gourd Storage: What is the optimal timeframe for using gourds before they spoil?
  4. Rye Planting: How does the gator attachment work for rye seeding, and what are its efficiency metrics?
  5. Decomposition Process: What factors trigger decomposition in peppers, and how can it be prevented?
  6. Farm Waste Cycle: How can sunflowers and other byproducts be better integrated into the farm’s waste management system?

Suggested Actions

  1. Monitor Pepper Storage: Implement a system to track pepper freshness and prevent spoilage.
  2. Harvest Gourds Proactively: Schedule regular gourd harvesting to avoid overstocking.
  3. Test Eggplant Washing: Experiment with alternatives to washing (e.g., drying or minimal water use).
  4. Document Rye Planting Process: Record details of the gator attachment’s use for future reference.
  5. Expand Animal Feed Options: Explore other byproducts (e.g., corn stalks) for animal snacks.
  6. Improve Store Window Progress: Track the timeline for the general store’s window installation and its impact on gourd storage.

This breakdown highlights the intern’s role in farm operations, their learning curve, and opportunities for improvement or research.

[end of post]



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