A few weeks ago, our friend Samantha was visiting to pick up some produce for one of the O'Hara Commons Lunchtime Learning series events.  Looking at the two of us leaning on different corners of the washing station, clearly beat, and having heard already a little about our concerns of weeds and beds and plantings getting away from us, she skipped past the question of "how are you doing?" and straight to "So, what do you need right now?"  We both came up with about the same answer:  we need a serious work party--10 people for 6 hours would probably do it.  It has to happen within a week or so, or things get mowed.  We had just had to throw in the towel and mow one of our carrot beds that had gotten too weedy to save, and we knew we were on the brink of the same with beets, green beans, flowers, and more in the new field we had opened up this year.  

It seemed like an impossible task to us, to gather than many person-hours in a short time.  An oddity about needing a lot of help is that you often are too busy to reach out and recruit for that help.  But Samantha chewed on it for a minute, and said "I might be able to get that.  What days work best?"  Feeling a little encouraged, we agreed that Sunday or Wednesday could work, and that we would also try to get the word out.  In the end, that Wednesday was our first tackle-the-field work party day.  In the end there were 7 of us, including the two farmers, for the morning.  That, combined with big chunks of help from some other friends, got us at least caught up enough to keep those beds.

We are still behind, but feeling a bit more optimistic.  In addition to the plants freed from choking weeds, beans and flowers and beets starting to put on growth, we found that the conversations, the chance to settle into a task for a few hours side by side with some good people and time to talk, was also of huge benefit to us.  And so, we've realized, not just for the weeding but also for ourselves, we should make it a regular thing.  Wednesday mornings are now reserved for farm tasks that can be done with some good company and conversation: weeding, mulching, tending plants, cleaning garlic....there are all sorts of farm tasks that can also be social.  And that generated a new farm term:  Social-Working Wednesdays.  We hope you can join us this week, as we again desperately need a pulse of extra help within the next few days to help ensure healthy crops for late summer and fall, and allow us to tackle some key farm building projects.  If you can't make it this week, please keep it in mind for future Wednesdays.  Bring a friend you've been meaning to catch up with, and enjoy some quality time and satisfying work, as well as some farm treats.  

This week we will be working together with volunteers from 8:00 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, with a mid-morning coffee break around ten, including some delicious treats from our friends Dan and Mona at Bouilla.  Feel free to come for part or all of the morning, as works best for you and your schedule. 

Please let us know if you can make it by emailing farmers@sweetroot.farm, or by calling or texting 240-1050. 

Many thanks, Mary and Noah