6/12/11 Sunday
We didn’t go to church today. That is most unusual for me. With working for Jim and school I am way behind on things that need doing on the farm. That coupled with the fact that there will be a group from Teen Challenge presenting music and testimonies at church today helped me make that decision.

I am worn out. Working for Jim in 100 plus degree weather and then rushing to school has definitely had an affect on me. Then I worked all day yesterday out in the heat and wind on the farm, worked till it got too dark to see. Got to where I had a hard time holding the hoe and walking, muscles just didn’t have any strength left.

Darn rabbits have taken a toll on the farm. Twenty two of the hills planted with cantaloupe are bare now, and whole rows of the green beans we planted have been decimated too. Rabbits ate all the leaves and just left stalks behind. I’ve seen them several times and the dogs have chased them often, but the rabbits always get away. They hide under the big pile of brush left from the tree jobs I did. I intend to burn the pile but can’t because there is a burn ban due to the drought. There are lots of rabbit tracks going from the pile straight into the garden. After going out with the shotgun to hunt them with no luck I set the alarm to get up before sunrise with the hope of catching them. All I saw was more damage they created overnight. We fenced in part of that area and have fence all around where the tomatoes are, but the fencing isn’t the kind that will keep rabbits out. I’ll need to get some that has small enough holes in it to prevent rabbits from getting through. But that takes money I don’t have, like so many things around here. That plus the fact that I need help putting up fence makes it another source of frustration. There is so much we could do with just a few more resources and a little help. Meantime we stand on that line circumstances has placed before us, unable to cross over to that place we can make this farm a profitable venture. But I know we can get there, with God’s help. It’s just taking longer than we’d like.

Been busy replanting cantaloupe where the rabbits did their thing, and planting a new row of irrigated hills I’ve worked days to create. Came in for a break. Only last about an hour at a time out there in the heat. I’m running sprinklers on another area to get the ground moist. That way when I disk it up it won’t all blow away, but will clump up and thus stay in place. This area is where I plan on planting watermelon and maybe the Israeli cantaloupe seeds I acquired last year. The corn seem to be doing fine, and the tomato plants have improved greatly. Our pepper plants are still struggling to survive. It’s a tough year. Hope to get the blackeyed peas in soon. So much to do and so little of me to do it. How I look forward to the day I can afford some help out here, along with the tools to work with.