Just had to brag somewhere that they'd get it!

For the record, the kids are 17, 14, 13, and 11, and Kevin and I operate our business from home - so there is not time for us to take time out to do many things, and our kids have to do some things independently, when we cannot help them.

Six weeks ago, we started some seeds indoors. This week, it was time to put the plants out, along with planting about 20 packets of seeds (which actually should have been done two weeks ago... oh well...). The growing season here is late, the soil is bad, and the season is short, and some things just plain won't grow due to the altitude - gardening is a hard thing to do, but a necessary thing this year for reasons of special dietary needs and budget needs.

Anyway, Monday, I took the kids into the back yard, and dug four shovel holes to mark the corners of the area I wanted them to dig. It was twice the size of last year's section back there. I then had to go back in the house to go to work. They had the digging done within four hours, and they stuck with it - admittedly, I did bribe them with cookies (they don't get them often). But they didn't degenerate into fighting or sulking. They just did it. It wasn't done as well as it would have been if I had been there - but it is good enough, and the problems they left are ones they will learn from, so it was an acceptable effort.

Tuesday, the two older ones went to town, and I showed the two younger ones a patch along the side of the house. They dug that and weeded it, and raked it.

Wednesday, I marked out another section of the back yard. The kids had that dug in one afternoon. Thursday, I marked out the last section, and it was dug with only one argument. A total of about 450 square feet of garden.

Friday, we started planting. Only the two younger kids were there to help - I did about half the work, they did the rest. Alex sighed once over the large number of holes he had to make and fill to plant the beans, but then just did it. Betsy helped Alex, and carried buckets of water to water the newly sown seeds - patches for lettuce, spinach beets, carrots, and about 20 hills of squash.

We have no sprinkler system. In fact, we do not even have an outdoor water faucet, so the kids carry every bucket of water to water the garden. We planted and watered over half of the space yesterday, and it is a good sized amount of space.

Today, we started putting out the plants. Betsy planted 100 lettuce plants, by herself. Alex seeded in four rows of peas, again, by himself, unsupervised. Adriene planted 50 broccoli plants, and Erik (has a broken elbow) helped me put in 40 tomato plants and 10 parsley plants, then water and fertilize them.

The girls fertilized the plants they put out afterward, without having to be reminded. We top dress with Miracle Gro Organic fertilizer, because something in it keeps the deer and bunnies away from the garden - a priceless benefit out here where most people cannot grow enough to feed themselves and the deer!

I heard very few complaints today - a few sighs, and one, "Isn't there someone who can help me with this?" question (it was a VERY big job). But even that one, when told everyone else was busy, just went back to work and did it.

I did not threaten them, holler at them, or even have to scold anyone. They just did what they were asked, and got it done. I was so proud of them.

This came after getting a half a beef yesterday, uncut. We cut that monster up last night - it didn't get here until 9:00 pm. We were up until midnight processing meat - and when we finished, my back hurt terribly, and I had to sit down before things were really cleaned up. I didn't say a THING to the kids, they just pulled the plastic off the table, wiped it down, took out the garbage, and did it cheerfully and without anyone saying anything to them about it. Like magic! They finished grinding and chopping the hamburger this morning, again without complaining.

These days don't happen all the time, but it sure feels good when they do. When there is a lot of work to do, and it just has to be done, it is pretty cool when the kids come together in a spirit of partnership and just pitch in.

It has been a hard few days. But good ones.

Laura
Mom to Eight

It's nice when it all works out like that, isn't it?

GG