Get in Touch
Have you seen that documentary on Netflix- “My Octopus Teacher”? if you haven’t, WOW! What an amazing movie! Let me fill you in a bit. The documentary is about this nature photographer who is burnt out. He has to leave his family for long periods of time…he is wrapped up in the grind of life, and forgetting to stop and breath, to take a breath, to observe, and appreciate, his surroundings. Ultimately, this nature photographer feels as if life is passing him by. So, he decides to take a sabbatical, and promises himself he will go out into the ocean to scuba dive every single day. Be it rain or shine. Cold or hot. Storms or serenity. For an entire year. And he does! Along the way, he meets a lady octopus and the documentary continues from there.
But that’s about where I want to stop with the movie. Go check it out, if you haven’t! What I’ve been thinking on, lately, is this concept of going outside daily. No matter the weather. To disconnect and to connect all at the same time. This is the life for me! Wild and uninhibited! Centered and grounded. Disconnected. And connected. Not having to answer to anyone (outside of the obvious). To create margin for time to connect with nature. A time to be alone. In the quiet. With my thoughts. Looking. Feeling. Seeing. Touching. Creating. Ah, yes!
The Why
Isn’t it funny, however, that mainstream society tells us something different? Especially in association with the weather!? “Don’t go outside today!” “Stay inside! It’s too cold!” “Stay in! It’s too hot!” “Today it’s going to rain and storm, take cover!” Well, as a “farmer” now, I HAVE to go outside every day. Just not once. But multiple times. Really, all the time. Why?! Because the animals depend on us! Depending on the time of year, (we live right in the middle of the Midwest, and we have seasons!) we need to break water buckets and rotate with fresh water in the winter, clean stalls (always) but especially in the summer, run hay and feed to everyone, take health checks, standard vetting, ferrying (hoof care), checking on pregnant does, and the list goes on and on.
It’s a lot of work. Non-stop. And that doesn’t include my other duties, like, mothering six young children, keeping the books for Jason’s business, running my other small business, as well as, the farm business, and so on. You’d think there’d be days that you just don’t want to go outside! Like today- when it’s barely two degrees out…and that’s the high for the day! But, really, with all endeavors in life, you must come at it with everything you have! Do everything one hundred percent! Having a generous heart and loving spirit! Being grateful. And feeling blessed.
Go Outside
Going outside is like a reboot. A breath of fresh air, literally. A sigh of relief. A quiet time. A time I feel the happiest and healthiest (I am also currently super sick and going through a slew of chronic illness diagnosis’s…I’ll write on that later!). A place where I feel my truest. My sanctuary.
Therapy
A newly developing relationship between another amazing farm-loving sister, and myself…and she has lovingly donated several beautiful animals to our farm (she is a whole other write-up for another time. She is amazing!) told me this, “The animals (farming) is my therapy. They are my therapists. Lots of money, time, effort goes into this, but if I didn’t have all of this, I would have stacks of therapy bills to be paid, instead.” (Side note, therapy is amazing and I support mental health awareness!) But that’s what it is for us farmers! Get it?! That’s our why!
Our why for going outside every day! And not doing it begrudgingly! We do it because we WANT to be outside! We are people who love the outdoors! Who love animals! And life! And adventure! For everything I’ve already mentioned and more! It is therapy. It’s therapeutic. The connection between man and nature is astounding!
When I’m milking a doe, and my head is pressed up against her soft, gentle, warm body, in the still of the morning, before any life is barely even risen, and I’m listening to that goats heart, watching her breath steam in the cold, feeling her velvety soft udder spring forth warm sustenance into the pail and her milk is as thick and creamy and white as you could imagine! Wow! Cool! Amazing! This goat is giving us something she made! That we can use! Astounding! It’s a symbiotic relationship!
The biology nerd in me is exploding with wonder and excitement! More! Teach me more, animals! Nature! Let me feel as one with nature, and the natural rhythm cycles she displays, as much as I possibly can be! I want to be as immersed in the outdoors constantly. I need to be somewhere on the edge of wild and uninhibited, without becoming completely feral.
The Challenge
Regardless of where you live. The city, the country, warm, or cold. I encourage you to go outside more, if you aren’t already! If you feel in your spirit that you could use more nature in your life, I challenge you to go outside (going from car to office doesn’t count) every day. If it’s cold, or dreary, especially this time of year where we live, wear the right gear and just go out for a bit. Even better, go out in the stillness of the early morning or during the darkness of the late night. Listen to the snow crunch under your boots. Look around for signs of life. Feel the cold air on your face. Be still. Breath. Rejuvenate. Restart.
