Progress in Paradise... Maybe the title today should be “pooped in Paradise” instead :) Bright and early this morning, the Fellowship of the Mustard Pullers gathered again in our field. Tim D., myself, and Maria S. and her kids Nicolas, Abby, and Sarah all attacked the remaining quarter acre or so of mustard. And we emerged victorious! About three hours after we started, there wasn't a mustard plant anywhere to be seen on the 7.5 acres of alfalfa that Tim D. is running (that's on a combination of 5 acres of his land, and 2.5 acres of ours). The kids were being paid by Tim, by the hour, and they were eagerly pursuing their mustard-derived riches. However, when we temporarily ran of mustardly things to do (because we were waiting for Tim to return from dumping a load of mustard so we could load him up with another), they spontaneously started moving some irrigation pipe from the field to its storage location. Such initiative involving physical labor is not something I'd ever expect a kid in California to do, but here it's pretty much the norm. When the kids know help is needed (and they know it with Tim), they're on the lookout for things they can do to help. It's almost enough to give me hope for the future, except that I've met all too many of the California-style kids.
After all that work (the last half or so in the hot sun), I'm not feeling too energetic today :)
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