We're going to plant a hedge for a windbreak between the veg plot and the field (soon to be woodland). This involves taking a spade and banging away at the "turf", an aggregate of rubble and woody roots, and carting it down the bottom of the field, a staggeringly heavy wheelbarrow load. Then a fork is taken and the strip is then broken up (using all my body weight to get the fork in) for K to then come and dig up all the dandelion roots and stones (a barrow full every 3 feet or so). Then we go over it again, digging in some fertiliser (organic, people), then we plant up the hedge.
Seem like a lot of hard work? Too bloody right it is, but as with everything here, it seems that the more effort you put in, the better the result is. And there's no instant satisfaction either: everything is always next year at the shortest. Going to plant some walnut and mulberry trees so I can have nuts and berries when I'm 60. Digging this almost unbelievably hard, stony soil now so we can plant tiny saplings in 6 weeks so we can have a hedge in 4 year's time. We cart manure off the field (thanks Harvey and Gedion) so we can then dig it into the spud beds the year after next. Etc. The result is that our place is becoming more fertile and beautiful every day and we are getting very fit!
Compare this to Mr Normal's day: instant everything. Instant coffee and cereal for breakfast, on the train with his (or her, the mad cow) I-phone type trinket, getting instant messaging, downloads, email, etc. Then fast food (not really food - ask to see the Long Egg in Subway and you'll get it), then maybe on the computer games in the evening to wind down a bit, where everything is instant, failure is impossible (pause and save), and maybe some sort of short-term instant gratification at the weekend with some new trainers on the credit card. No long-term view about anything (except pensions of course, which are one of the biggest rip-offs of all time), which is lucky because the long-term result of all this is...
...a world of shit.
Use your hands.
Create for those who come after you.
Always think 'is this better, or just quicker?'
Off to eat more vegetables we planted ages ago.
