Hugs like standing ovations

Living on a farm is different. Coming from the lindy hop & blues world, one of the things I notice and appreciate most about farm life is that people here are not hyper focused on sexuality, physical appearance, and touch. It was incredibly strange at first, and I felt like a child without her security blanket, but I'm getting used to it. It feels... healthy. It brings to mind "As Is," a song by Ani DiFranco: "You can't hide behind social graces, so don't try to be all touchy feely." That line used to make me squirm because it shone light into places I pretended didn't exist. Now I'm comfortable with it.

All of this is on my mind because Zach, a fellow farm worker, gave me a hug tonight after dinner. He had orchestrated an amazing taco night, with almost everyone lending a hand in preparation for the feast: Jes & Alicia made tortillas, AJ created a beautiful salsa, Steve shared Snickers & washed some dishes. I arrived late to the preparations toting the biggest watermelon I've ever seen, which I promptly cracked open and sliced up. The vibe in the kitchen was awesome, like a party in full swing. There had been and continued to be torrential downpours which were punctuated by amazing light, a gorgeous sunset, and a huge Care Bear rainbow. It felt like we were swept up into something bigger than ourselves, like Someone had planned the whole evening, and we were unwrapping a present moment by moment. Awesome-mazing.

We (the workers) adopted a different policy on cooking and cleaning recently, so that if you cook dinner you also do the dishes that night, and each person who eats washes his own plate and fork. It's working out pretty well. But tonight I decided to give Zach the gift of washing the dishes. And he gave me a hug. It seems pretty standard, but it's not.

There aren't many hugs around here, not in a bad way, but in a matter of fact way: they're not a frequently used part of the dialect here. So the analogy that came to mind is that hugs here are like standing ovations, or at least the way I think standing ovations ought to be. You don't just get standing ovations for every performance you give. That's a lie. Most performances I've given are not worthy of a standing ovation. And I know that. And as a performer, when that's the case, I don't want a standing ovation: I don't want the audience to lie to me. I don't want tomatoes thrown at me either, but it seems the trend is towards giving standing ovations all the time when really they're for very special occasions. Not just icing on the cake (why would we want cake if it didn't have icing?), but 2 different cakes, a pie, chocolate ganache, fresh peaches, and homemade ice cream to go along with it.

But why is this such a big deal? And what does it have to do with a hug after taco night? It's a big deal because if you take away the context, it ceases to have meaning. If audiences always stand up no matter what happens on stage, what happens when a performance is unbelievably amazing? How do the performers know what the audience perceived?

Zach gave me a hug tonight, and it meant something. He appreciated that I did dishes. I appreciated taco night. We will all miss him tremendously when he leaves next week. It was an evening for a standing ovation.

My Christmas in July list

Christmas in July, you know? When your church or organization gathers food and gifts and such for needy people, things like socks and beans and school supplies for the kids. I thought I'd start a Christmas in July list of my own. Why, you ask? Well...

Working on a farm is pretty awesome. It's challenging, to be sure, but it does have its benefits: stronger muscles, good exercise, character/resolve building, improved stamina, the list goes on. I'm totally down with all of these things, but they all demand FUEL. And lots of it. Holy cow, if you saw how much I eat, you'd fall down. Fo rizzle. And my clothes still fit!

But it's at this point, after a week and a half on the job, that I wonder how I'm going to be able to feed myself and continue to work and pay bills. Sure, we get some free vegetables, and we all need our greens. And we do have some money for communal food that comes out of our paychecks (yay for beans!), but neither of these things cover all of it, and unfortunately if I eat just anything, my body doesn't work nearly as well. And this job demands that my body run as well as humanly possible. I recently remembered why I like to drink kombucha: because it makes me feel alive and well. It makes a huge difference in how I work each day. I tried to ration it and cut down on cost, but it really seems like I need a kombucha every day. I'm brewing some, but it's not ready yet, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep up with demand, but I do have a fighting chance now that I'm brewing 3 gallons at a time! Thanks to Katherine, the farm manager here, for an extra kombucha mother!

So just in case you had thoughts of sending me a care package via the Post Office or my soon-to-be-visitors Marcia (Knoxville) or Jason (Asheville), I thought I'd guide you. Did I mention my thirtieth birthday is June 30? ;-)

• My Organic Market! My new favorite place to shop. There's one in Frederick, and it's not too hard to get to. They have gift cards. And kombucha & probiotics.

• Maple syrup, grade B. Along with tahini, it's a major food group. Lots of minerals, amazing taste.

• Lemons, organic. When combined with the maple syrup, it's a supportively yummy drink for a boost during the long hours.

• Kombucha. The best. End of story. If you've never tried one, go experience one at your local food co-op or health food store. I recommend starting with the grape.

• White ankle socks, size 9-11. I underestimated the importance of socks on a farm. There was a lot going on when I moved, and my brain fell out at different intervals.

• Nana's Lemon Cookies: Gluten-free. Fruit-juice sweetened. Uber lemony. Awesome. The oatmeal raisin, ginger, and chocolate chip varieties are also great. Clearly a splurge, but I thought I'd include it, too.

And there you have it, folks. Facing the budget can feel like a door slamming shut, so I thought I'd open a window.
If you'd like to correspond via snail mail, send me your address!

Megan Adair
38287 John Wolford Road
Purcellville, VA
20132

Chlorine free at last!

Kudos to New Wave Enviro for making their shower filter!

I did it. I am a hippie. Not only do I own a fancy schmancy water filter that sits beside my sink, I just bought a filter for my shower head. Yes, I know, the shower. But honestly, I think it was worth it. The water actually felt softer! Tangibly softer. I could really tell a difference. And the toxic fumes of chlorine were absent from my bathroom, as were the effects on my skin, which felt softer afterwards and not nearly as dry. My hair? I think it looked better, too, although I'll be looking for more long-term effects there.

Goodbye rubber ducky: New Wave Enviro rocks my showertime.