So what do they do? Well, John's replacing a point on a soil aerator. David tore the tractor apart and replaced the filters and loose hoses. There's the new seed and fertilizer components to add to the back of the John Deere. There was a quick trip to Florida, but that was to check on the grandparents and pick up some tropicals for the greenhouse. You probably flew to Florida, instead of an 18-hour drive. One way. Cindy worked with the new cuttings, and Diane has been speaking to community groups every weekend. (Did we mention they don't have weekends off in the farming business?)

The three blizzards with heavy winds that required repairs to the greenhouses, and diesel fuel went up another ten cents, to 3.14 a gallon. (How do you think those greenhouses stay warm?) Setting up the new drip irrigation system for the pots, replacing the boiler that blew up three weeks ago, and making sure the new couplings are secure for the blowers. Filling 3000 flats with dirt, seeding same flats, watering and rotating greenhouse plants. Everyone needs a little extra help from time to time; so there are new workers to hire, paperwork to fill out, staff meetings to run.

A responsible pet owner feeds their pets every day. Cows aren't pets but they need that same kind of care, and it's not as though the kennel or a pet sitter make barn calls. So, John, who raises cattle, has a new calf and that means keeping the barn secured and warm. Plus a lot of recycling of manure. What-you thought growing food only involved tractors and dirt?

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