Man, it's hot here in Virginia. The humidity is heavy and we can’t keep the dogs out of the field cooler. The storms keep missing the farm and my feet might catch fire tiptoeing across the gravel. Can that just be your Crop Report this week? I get kind of stabby this time of year when there isn’t any relief from the heat (actually, I get this way in the winter too - I own it). We are just trying to keep the crops cool and watered to make it through these dog days of summer.

While it would be nice to take a breath and regroup as the farm hits a rhythm, that just isn’t how we roll around here. This week, we broke ground on my home remodel. Although it's not part of the farm and you are here for the crops, the big white house has become the elephant in the room and you might as well know about it here first. Between jackhammers and permanent porta-potties, this project might push me further than anything we tackle on the farm. My family of six will be living the duration of this home remodel without a washer, dryer, or indoor bathroom (it's like we are The Waltons!) This might be more of a homesteader's lifestyle than I ever envisioned for myself over the next few months, but the improvements to our home will be well worth it in the end. At least that's what everyone tells me as they wince at my current bathroom situation.

I might as well be running around this farm with a construction hat on because when I look around, I feel like Bob the Builder. I wonder if he has any tricks for running around in the oppressive heat. Actually, I do have one trick of my own. I had a friend a while back introduce me to this AMAZING product for when it's hot and you get sweaty and well... it can get real uncomfortable when things start rubbing. This GoldBond full-body stick prevents the friction. It keeps me comfortable EVERYWHERE, if you know what I mean. I get zero compensation for my praising endorsement but I do get the good feeling that I might have saved someone else's inner thigh agony.

There is a running joke for everyone that goes on vacation or is a returning seasonal helper that the farm will look different every time you come back and it seems we are determined to maintain that. We are still working on our bank barn improvements, and will soon begin designing our retail farm store (maybe we will sell those friction sticks). Our FedEx house and other tunnels are still being prepared for the equipment upgrades they are getting and we just wrapped up a meeting about the first of a few NRCS grant projects we want to implement.

The “extra” projects are big and require additional effort and energy on top of our regular chores. We are so glad to have a team of committed folks willing to help us make it all happen. These major steps lay the foundation for a farm that can withstand the test of time. We do the work today to build the future of tomorrow. And, it's still freaking SWEATY HOT!