Social Distancing in an RV – Chapter 4
Monday March 30 – Day 15 at the Farm
Today, if it weren’t for the virus, we would have said our goodbyes and left Spencer farm. We’d be on the road connecting the dots between Marion Junction, AL and Great Falls, MT to start our Fulltime Families caravan to Alaska.
However, we’re here for now in a safe spot with good people. We’re healthy, active, and learning. We’ll fly our family flag and make each day our adventure.
Tuesday March 31 – Day 16 at the Farm
One thing we love about WOOFing on a farm is fresh produce. Granted, its still early season here, but we’ve got swiss chard, kale and chives from the garden. We’ve got microgreens that we’re growing in the greenhouse, and tomatoes growing in our hydroponic aero-garden in the RV.
So – maybe we can’t get bread or meat at the grocery stores, but we’ve got tortilla shells and beans! Toss everything you have on a tortilla, and it looks like lunch for the foreseeable future.
Wednesday April 1 – Day 17 at the Farm
It was cold this morning. About 45 degrees – but it warmed up comfortably to about 70 and sunny today. This morning we had spent grain (from the brewery) for the animals again. We fed them and they were happy.
Liam and I worked on a brush hog most of the day to no avail. We’ll hit it some more with a big hammer tomorrow. Chip went to the NAPA to get a brake line for the farm truck and I replaced that. Tricia helped to bleed the brakes. One thing fixed, at least.
Tricia and Augusta are researching growing lettuce in the micro green system. Looks like it might take more equipment than we have here.
The kids played a few April fools pranks – mostly on Tricia. Pot Roast for dinner this evening at the Spencer’s.
Thursday April 2 – Day 18 at the Farm
Today the four of us dug out a cattle grate with Chris and Augusta. After several years they fill up with gravel from the drive and need to be taken apart and cleaned. It was about 75 and sunny. Not too bad for digging but it had a lot of clay and was difficult. Spent much of the day on that task and used the dirt removed to fill potholes in the drive and old pigpen. Worked at getting a rusted spline shaft out of the Bush Hog for an hour. Sprayed it down with penetrating oil and it will wait until tomorrow.
Caught some fish after work for dinner tomorrow. Thursday pasta night was lasagna and the movie was a documentary about monarch butterflies,(Chip’s choice) our 3rd movie night here at Spencer Farm.
Friday April 3 – Day 19 at the Farm
Chip walked by last night and gave that dang rusted spline shaft one hit with a hammer and it dropped out.
I spent the morning laying out the pieces of the gearbox so we would know what to order. Worked on the Polaris front drive shaft a bit and talked at length with Chip as we cleaned up the work area.
Liam and Ella went with Chris on the trap run and came back with two raccoons. Chris showed Liam how to skin and clean his own raccoon and they started to treat the furs as well in preparation for making hats. Ended our day at about 4:00 and did a bit of homeschooling with Ella while Liam was working with Chris. Fish fry for dinner. Two catfish and 6 Bluegill from the night before with some fried potatoes.
Saturday April 4 – Day 20 at the Farm
This morning Chip and Laura drove us north a few miles to a put in point on the Kahaba River. Ella and I in our kayak, Tricia and Augusta in our 2nd kayak, Liam with Chris in a canoe, Gabe and VK in a canoe, and Mac in his kayak. We paddled downstream for a couple of hours before finding a nice gravel bar for lunch. PB&J sandwiches. We found several fossilized sharks teeth. The day was sunny and 75 with a NW breeze making it comfortable. It was a very nice paddle. At the take-out spot it was super muddy and slick with Alabama clay. Augusta fell in the river and all of us had clay caked to our sandals. We spent the rest of the afternoon washing clay off the kayaks, sandals, and dry bags. Chris made venison burgers for dinner which we ate with the last of our bread (and topped with microgreens). Augusta made some collards and some noodles. We finished with some girl scout cookies we’ve been saving and a game of Catan with the kids facing off against Chris and Augusta. Liam won.
Sunday April 5 – Day 21 at the Farm
Put laundry in this morning. There is a washer in the bathhouse that mostly works. Sometimes it needs an extra bucket of water added. There is a clothesline out back that will just fit a weeks worth of clothes for our family. It’s pleasant to smell the laundry while we’re hanging it or taking it down. We made falafel with pitas for dinner. Topped them with microgreens.
I wonder if I will ever get sick of microgreens?
We discussed heading back to MI again today. We have decided to stay here in AL for now. We have purposeful work and the days go by fast. The kids are learning a lot and our hosts are good people. We’ve got it pretty good here as far as social distancing is concerned.
LOVE being on the trip with you and I didn’t even get muddy ! Hope you are having fun as well as all the fixing and digging, and feeding, etc. you are capable of doing. Are you really out of meat?
We have a herd of deer in Stan’s property day and night, plus two large sandhill cranes. I could order a box of meat from that company that mails meat. It comes frozen with dry ice.
Love ya all! G’ma h.