Down Mulberry Lane

Farmer's Market...

Well, our season is going well.  However, with the heat, I am slowly tiring of the routine.  We have good days and bad days, all depending on the weather.  If it is hot... not alot of business.  If it is windy, we may not be able to use our canopy and then our baked goods get all moist and wet on the inside of the packaging, which then makes sales real low.  

I had decided a couple weeks ago to concentrate on the garden, canning and granola and let the girls do the baking for their own booth.  But even that has it's trials.  My girls are great bakers, yet their age causes some hesitation from the customers, now seeing the products on their table and not mine. 

I've also had some trials with the jelly.  I've had 4 batches totally not set up... and I am pretty sure it is a problem with the pectin and not my technique.  As when I use powdered pectin, it turns out fine.  I also am finding that one recipe that I use was one that didn't require a water bath, but market wants us to waterbath, so I do... and the jars that did not completely fill, set up within minutes, but the waterbath jars turn to a sauce/syrup state.   It is very frustrating to know that I spent two entire afternoons in very hot heat picking strawberries to make the strawberry rhubarb jam and now I have sauce!  Which for home... we find it will gel in the fridge, even though it is a soft set jam.  But I cannot sell soupy jam at the market.  That has only added to my frustration this year. 

And the heat is so hot this year.  I've gotten sick twice sitting out at market on 90 plus degree days.  And the little one hardly tolerates the hot pavement as well.  I've decided for our health, no more market on 85 plus degree days.  Plus, we don't have air conditioning at home, so baking makes the house just miserable!  

My garden is slow going, but the produce is ready earlier than ever.  My peas lasted only a short week...before getting bitter.  The heat is just too much.  And no rain, I am out watering twice a day.  I sit and think, if I truly charged the cost for the time it takes me to tend the lettuce, the radishes, the onions, the tomatoes, the beans, etc... they people at market would never buy from me.  OK, I know it's just a bad year for the garden and I'm more than willing to do it for my family... but to work my fanny off all day long and go to market and it be hot and make a measley $36 really just makes your day go downhill.  Not to mention, now I have 7 heads of lettuce PICKED and we just can't possibly eat that much lettuce if it doesn't sell.  I often cut prices at the end of market to just sell it, cuz I know it won't get eaten at home... although, I changed my mind on that... I decided my chickens can eat it!   

And people's ubsurd complaints of the prices.  I have my lettuce marked at $1 a head.  And it is ORGANIC lettuce.  One gal states, your lettuce tastes great.. but you charge soooo much, I just can't buy anymore... Um, excuse me but a head of lettuce in the store is running $1.50 and it's NOT ORGANIC!  

I've decided that I will finish this year sporadically, since I already paid my fee for the year.  I will go when I have produce.  I will go when the weather is nice.  I will go when nothing else is pressing.  But no longer will I let this stress me out.  No longer will I push home commitments aside because of the coming market and feeling I need to make more jelly!   No longer will I feel guilty that I did not get granola made because of the 90 degree heat, or the muggy rainy weather (where-ever did that go?).  

Next week we are having a garage sale for my daughter's mission trip.  I'm not going to market!  Ha!  I'm going to clean out my house and get rid of it at the sale and not worry about anything else.  Then I will do shopping with my daughter and head her off to her mission trip in the coming week after that.  Market will just have to wait.  

I talked with Dh about the decision and he is quite pleased.  He understands I like the interaction with the people there; the other vendors and the customers... but the other stuff, just isn't worth the hassle.  I will just have to become a regular customer... setting my shopping date on farmer's market days.  Maybe I'll make a point to shop on rainy days, windy days, and really hot days and bring a little sunshine to those vendors that work so hard EVERY day of market and not just the nice weather days.  

I also reevaluated my own ability to be frugal during market... and I'll admit, I'd save more money than I make if I could just have the time to worry about "My garden" and "my canning".  If I could shop at the garage sales and find some bargains.  If I could have time to shop by sales once in a while.  If I could have time to sort through the coupons sitting on my shelf.  

Dh said I should go back to nursing if I really want to work... and it wasn't really that.  It was being able to bring in some money so my kids could go on mission trips, have music lessons, go to college ....AND I could do this WITH my kids, not send them off to daycare or have them home watching the baby alone, or being away from home for hours/days on end (which happened when I worked as a nurse).  But God is showing me that this ISN'T working, either.  I'll admit we have some good sale days of nearly $200 a day.  And when we have leftovers... they are a tax write off and I freeze the quick breads for winter, for gifts, etc.  And in that way, I am not making money, but not losing money either.  But the frustration, the time crunch, the hot house, the never having enough time to do more than market duties... it just is too much in addition to our already full household duties.   The house isn't calm, MOM isn't calm.  Both Dh and I agree that the stress, the fretting, the busyness is just not worth what it takes away from the family. 

So, back to penny pinching and making home cheerful.  God will find a way to provide for these extras that we deem so important.  The mission trip is almost completely paid for by donations.  The extra we have put into it has been from sales from the market... BUT, with some wise spending, it would be easy to make up most of that anyways.  God really does provide... it's just hard to see since it's not in dollar bills landing on our doorstep once a week. 

Well, alas, I've learned another lesson.  Even though market is going better this year and our sales are better, the stress is still there.  And often times that stress affects other things... our decision making (being able to put together meals when you are busy with jelly), getting grocery shopping done efficiently, when you are worried about forgetting the vanilla we ran out of for market and making yet another trip to town (more gas money spent).  It  also affects our free time and mom's sanity.  As a homeschooling mom, it cuts into my spring and fall school days as well. 

Now, I know I sound negative.  I really am not.  I am grateful for the experiences and for the things my girls have learned.  I just feel that there is a way that is better for our family in reaching the goals that we need to reach.   This summer will have it's fill that is for sure.  Doing what is good for the family and also filling in the extra time with farmer's market.  

As the sun went down, I gave the sheep some water and then put the sprinkler out for a late night drink for the garden.  I quickly just checked on the progress of our yellow squash, zucchini, and green beans.  The green beans were ready to be picked... that is 2 weeks earlier than to be expected by the packet dates.  Tomorrow is to be 96 degrees, Dh says.  I'll need to pick early in the morning and plan to can the beans early Monday morning... My sister is having a barbecue for my nephew's birthday, so I won't be able to can tomorrow.  I saw a couple large yellow squash and the zucchini I could not see in the darkness.  Time just doesn't slow down.  Priorities always need to be made.  I'm going to be working on making "better priorities", ones that benefit the family and ones that hopefully bring glory to God.

Warmly, ~Melissa

Untitled Comment

2:29 AM, July 8, 2007 .. Posted by bobbie78

Melissa, You poor woman....my sympathies go out to you. This has been a bad summer it seems. I will keep you in my prayers. You just keep your chin up and try your best to stay cool. Take care.

Untitled Comment

2:16 PM, July 8, 2007 .. Posted by kissesmomof4

So sorry things have been hectic. It sounds almost like you could just use a break, a day or even just an afternoon of quiet to relax, regroup and recover. I hope your summer gets a little brighter soon :)

I loved your post

8:17 AM, July 9, 2007 .. Posted by jackiebridgen

I have also given up some stress inducing things (like running our box scheme) for very similar reasons to yours, and I want to say Hurray! Big round of applause for that lady!
God will provide, and I think back to when I scrimped more, stressed less, and enjoyed the time with my family more, I just know you'll be blessed by your wise decision.
Blessings
Jackie

Whoa!

4:00 PM, July 9, 2007 .. Posted by jocelyndixon

That is a lot of typing and information!

RYC: We do have a milkstation for our goat. It doesn't help. My sisters held her leg but they only ended up with black eyes and dirty clothes.. I know I sound ridiculous but the doe is very strong and detremined... not a good mix!

We did get to milk her some yesterday...
she is not 'hard' but her nipples are lose and she does let the doelings nurse sometimes...
She's not in pain, other than not wanting to do what she's told... milking...

I have done lots of research on masistis... and I know it could be bad.

I hope to get most of the milk out so her udder isn't hanging so much...

pray for me! lol

Jocelyn

Read my latest post(s):
We are Homeschoolers, no doubt: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Jocelyndixon/354094/
Lemons & salt: http://www.homesteadblogger.com/Jocelyndixon/61903/

Untitled Comment

9:57 PM, July 9, 2007 .. Posted by andeemomof3

Hi Melissa,

Thanks so much for posting, and for some of the ideas you shared with me. It's nice to know there are others going through similar situations with keeping their homes and that I'm not the only one struggling, but I am also sorry to hear that they are. Also wonderful to hear from those who have overcome things and were able to get on top of everything, and stay organized.

I also need to get my children in helping around their home. My boys are old enough to be helping, and I am ashamed to say they don't do chores or anything. And they should! Even if it's just little things, I'm sure it would help.

Thanks again!

Blessings,
Andrea

Untitled Comment

10:08 PM, July 9, 2007 .. Posted by Patti

I am NOT a summer person either. It is definitely my least favorite of the seasons. I can hardly believe that I Iived in Florida for 17 years---the only seasons I experienced there were Hot and Hotter. Now, living in Idaho, I get a change of seasons. We have hot summers, but thankfully, we have little to no humidity. We are scheduled to take part in an annual Art in the Park event---the weekend of August 11th. That will probably be the hottest weekend of the year!

Untitled Comment

11:41 PM, July 11, 2007 .. Posted by findingcontentment

Jam is fickle sometimes, isn't it? BTW, I would LOVE to be able to $1 for organic lettuce!!!!

Barb J.