I'm beginning to notice a trend. I can't speak for others, but I'm noticing that for me, being a sassy, city girl gardener means getting comments from random people that question my farming abilities. Like when I was in the feed store buying my chicks and the farmer behind me in line, purchasing 25 of each of several breeds compared to my three, asked if I had named them already. The same farmer wrapped up our conversation by saying that it'd be just a matter of time before I started painting their toenails. And then today, when my neighbor leaned over the fence to check out the progress we've made on our incredible coop (pictures to come soon!), he asked if I was building a coop or an apartment. These off-the-cuff comments don't faze me much, but I'm wondering if they come with the urban farming territory. I was never in 4-H, I didn't grow up with chickens, I don't live in a rural environment, nor have I ever. I wear artsy galoshes, dangly earrings and a bohemian fabric garden tool belt, and just in general, probably don't look much like a farmer besides the dirt under my nails and stains on my jeans. But, there is more to me than meets the eye. I've done my homework – I've accumulated enough gardening and chicken books to start a library. Plus, enthusiasm goes a long way. An expert I am not, but I'm not as green as I look.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
It ain't easy being green
I'm beginning to notice a trend. I can't speak for others, but I'm noticing that for me, being a sassy, city girl gardener means getting comments from random people that question my farming abilities. Like when I was in the feed store buying my chicks and the farmer behind me in line, purchasing 25 of each of several breeds compared to my three, asked if I had named them already. The same farmer wrapped up our conversation by saying that it'd be just a matter of time before I started painting their toenails. And then today, when my neighbor leaned over the fence to check out the progress we've made on our incredible coop (pictures to come soon!), he asked if I was building a coop or an apartment. These off-the-cuff comments don't faze me much, but I'm wondering if they come with the urban farming territory. I was never in 4-H, I didn't grow up with chickens, I don't live in a rural environment, nor have I ever. I wear artsy galoshes, dangly earrings and a bohemian fabric garden tool belt, and just in general, probably don't look much like a farmer besides the dirt under my nails and stains on my jeans. But, there is more to me than meets the eye. I've done my homework – I've accumulated enough gardening and chicken books to start a library. Plus, enthusiasm goes a long way. An expert I am not, but I'm not as green as I look.
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5 comments:
Just wait, they'll be begging fresh eggs and argula soon enough! :)
Look how big the girls have gotten!
I hear you! My partner and I have worked our tails off turning our former big weed patch into a large edible garden that is both productive and pretty. We grow a lot of food & just got chickens.
And I still get comments from (male) neighbors that imply they know better than we do. Or they need to somehow equate what we have done to them (ie. when i told one we were going to be on the edible garden tour he said: "well, we are putting in an Oregon grape. we'll have food too" Um, ok. Whatever dude.)
They just don't know who they're talking to. :)
Jealousy is a mean nasty awful thing. (I was going to say "green-eyed monster" but that's not the green we're talking about here...)
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