Where Did I Go?

Things are CRAZY at home these days! The tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers are going wild and I have already canned 38 quarts of tomatoes, made salsa and pickles and tried ketchup making. The ketchup failed miserably. I'm going to blame the internet for giving me a lousy recipe. My dad sent me a pressure canner for my birthday, I'm super stoked to see what I can do with that!

A large chunk of my time this summer was spent at the baseball field. My youngest played all-stars and the team was amazing! I even like the other parents! The parents really make or break the all star experience, and everyone was great.

For three magical days we were cat owners. Maggie's coach rescued a kitten which had been abandoned by its mother. We took it home, bottle fed it and loved it. He died, but his life was full of love. It convinced the children we need a cat. Our hearts just need time to heal first. Maybe the city will let us have a couple of goats in the meantime...

Goat lobbying has been neglected. Time has been limited, but I plan to bring it back up after the weather turns cold and things slow down.

A great deal of my time this summer went to working with Faith Feeds. KY farmers really helped us out and we have collected 25,537 pounds of fresh produce for the hungry so far. Because I also work for a church who receives donations from faith feeds, I get to see the excitement of those who benefit from the hard work of the farmers and gleaners.

I've also been to the beach, played at the pool, ignored cleaning responsibilities and everything else you'd expect of someone enjoying their final summer before having to get a real job. It has been wonderful, but way too short. The kids are back in school. I start school tomorrow.

I am entering my senior year. I will be graduating from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Sustainable Agriculture in which my curriculum focused on urban ag as a means to alleviate food access inequalities. The next several months will be focused on finding employment. If you know of anything in the central KY area, let me know. Ideally, I don't want to uproot my children. That being said, I am open to whatever comes our way. I have learned my plans are rarely what is best for my family and I am open to serving wherever God sends us.