My husband looked at the world a bit cockeyed. His humor showed by the way he laughed at odd happenings.
When I wrote this column, we had been married 9 years. I was still learning about life with Bob.
Bob really cracked me up. He was quiet but if you listened to what he mumbled you’d end up laughing.
In sharing these posts, I keep Bob close to me.
Copyright © 2020 by Susan Manzke, all rights reserved
Last spring, Bob sat by the kitchen table like I am today. His view was of our field across the street. For the first time in his life he wasn’t farming those acres, renters were, but even if Bob wasn’t out there he was riding along virtually.
The last couple of years that Bob farmed he had trouble with his planter. Either a row was missing or crooked. Those errors always showed up right next to the road where every other farmer could judge his farming. This ticked Bob off.
This year, like last spring, the renters’ rows look nice and straight. That is except that two rows were unusually close right next to the road.
I figure the acres aren’t exactly square and rows will never exactly match up for anyone.
That’s the exact spot where Bob had problems. Maybe this was done on purpose in memory of Bob.
No matter, I’ll be thinking of my husband every time I look at those two close rows.
Copyright © 2020 by Susan Manzke, all rights reserved
About this time last year, Bob was starting to feel better. It was the first year in his life that he didn’t farm. Instead, he watched our renters working the Sunnybook Farm fields he had traveled since 1978.
Yesterday, I watched the same family working in the same fields.
As I watched them, I thought about Bob.
I felt him looking out the window with me.
Big changes have come to our farm, none of them easy.
Bob’s spirit is still here. He planted a bit of himself into the soil each year, as did his dad, and other farmers before them.
I continue on today with Bob in spirit, even if others are doing the farming.
Such is life.
Copyright © 2020 by Susan Manzke, all rights reserved
It wasn’t long ago that I wrote about starting to sprout alfalfa seeds (March 19 blog). I actually had them started a day before posting about this venture.
The first batch is ready to eat and I’m enjoying them. It’s something fresh and green in my diet.
Besides alfalfa sprouts, I’ve also started a mix with clover and another with lentils, peas, mung bean and adzuki bean–whatever that is. These just went into the sprouter yesterday and I already see little shoots starting to pop out today.
Since I’m having so much fun growing these seeds, I went searching for my old sprouter. I remember that two of the plastic levels had broken. Maybe I threw the whole thing out at that time, but maybe I didn’t.
Guess what, I found my original sprouter or at least half of it, and now I’m able to have more seeds going.
The new set up is on the left and the old sprouter is on the right.
I’ve been munching alfalfa sprouts for a couple of days. Finally, I have enough to make a mouthful. If I keep the seeds cycling through the containers, I should have something growing to eat every day.
I bought my packaged seeds online through Amazon, but from the Sprout House (www.sprouthouse.com).
Copyright © 2020 by Susan Manzke, all rights reserved
Years ago, I sprouted seeds in my kitchen. With all that is going on, I decided to get started sprouting again.
I could have sprouted some seeds in a jar. I found simple directions on Google:
How to Grow Sprouts in a Jar
I’d suggest you start with one teaspoon of seed for alfalfa seed. Here’s a link to growing alfalfa:
https://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Alfalfa-Sprouts
I didn’t start growing my alfalfa seeds in a jar. Like any kid, I wanted a ‘toy’ to play with and bought a sprouter online. Kitchen Crop VKP1200 Deluxe Kitchen Seed Sprouter, | 6″ Diameter Trays, 1 Oz Alfalfa Included
That ounce of alfalfa that’s included will take me a long way, but I also ordered some seed mixes.
Water drains from the top, through the sprouting levels and is caught in the lower green level. I’m to put the water through this straining system two to three times a day.
It’s like having another pet, though it is not a Chia Pet. It will grow edible sprouts. I’m not so sure about eating Chia sprouts. At least those packaged as a pet are not recommended to eat, but the ones that are sold as edible chia seeds are.
You’ll have to wait a few days to see how my project is growing.
Today I feel like a farmer again. Bob would be proud.
Copyright © 2020 by Susan Manzke, all rights reserved