This is the time of year when we have to really start thinking about the shape of our bodies. All winter long we ate relatively heavy meals and without chicken tractors and animal paddocks to move each day, our muscles got a bit out of shape. On our farm we use mostly people power to get the job done so we rely heavily on keeping our bodies in tip top-shape. The animals won't let us take a sick day so keeping healthy is paramount.
Moving our bodies to do our work gives us a lot of satisfaction and a well toned body to boot...we won't ever have to buy a gym membership, that's for sure! Other than the use of a four wheeler to haul food and fencing around the farm we use our bodies all day long to keep the farm going. The gardens here are no-till gardens therefore we are not using mechanical inputs to till, it is all done with our own energy and all of the animals are moved by hand each day requiring muscle and stamina.
Having a physical job has its perks but in order to benefit, one must take care of oneself. Eating well has proven to help us avoid getting hurt, sick or fatigued. At our house we take food seriously. We try not to eat sugar, limit our consumption of grains and eat a lot of local veggies. We try to stick to eating meats that we have raised since we know that the animals have been treated well and eaten well. We take it slow when we are tired and employ relaxation techniques to avoid getting stressed. Most importantly we share in the farm responsibilities so that neither of us gets so tired that we cannot work.
Our bodies are an an important part of the farm and our physical labor makes the farm even more sustainable. Most of the fuel that our bodies expend comes directly from the soil that we tend, closing the circle and making it a sufficient closed system keeping our bodies, souls, and land healthy.
Caitlin
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