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Every year in early February, I get my garden journal out and begin to plan. My garden is more than twice the size of my little 400-foot cabin, so planning is something I take seriously! I have layouts for my garden from each year that I review. To get started, I draw up a new planting plan with seedling counts and begin to draft my new layout, ensuring that crops are rotated. I also have a seed starting schedule that reflects what I generally grow.
I usually start in mid-February with a range of varieties of peppers, some Genovese Basil, and sometimes some onions. By May, my little cabin is teeming with seedlings of all kinds. I grow so many that I often donate a selection to many of the community gardens in the area, as well as fill my own garden.
However, this year, I only made the early motions to get started. I got my planting schedule up, but a few weeks went by, and the peppers weren’t planted. I made the decision not to proceed just yesterday. It felt funny not to get started.
The reason why I changed my plans is important, and I realized that, even though I may seem like I’m not being very “prepared,” there is a purpose to this decision. I have written about the challenges of aging alone on a homestead in an earlier article. I highly recommend you read the comments at the end of this article, as they are filled with OP community wisdom.
My decision is partly based on limitations that come from aging but also based on what I think is one of my most important preps: self-knowledge and insight. I had a rough year last year, and even though things are looking up for me, I realized that I’m simply exhausted. I need to get some rest and prioritize my health.
Yes, I could probably squeeze the energy out of me to proceed with planting the seedlings. What I’m talking about here is how I make crucial decisions on the homestead here: I put my overall health first. Skills that I have already consolidated are not the top priority. We are in the midst of a slow-burning SHTF, and I had a rough year last year on top of that. I realized that I’m sleepwalking along: burnt out and not ready for a full-out SHTF, should one arrive. I consider that dangerous.
I hope that by sharing some thoughts on my own philosophy of preparedness, it might inspire others to reflect on their own. This is not to say one is better than the other. I believe that we can all learn from each other.
Prepper, Know Thyself
I have always been intuitive. I value getting information from my “gut instincts,” and it has gotten me out of trouble more than once. Along with that, I value quiet time, meditation, and knowing where I’m at. In my opinion, that is something that this society doesn’t want you to be doing. Everything is moving at breakneck speed; we’re all sold distractions for our spare time (never mind the endless scrolling!).
As someone who prefers natural medicine, I put prevention ahead of everything else. From the moment I wake up each morning until I put my head back on that pillow, I am in touch with how I’m feeling and what I need. That might be a plant medicine, an herbal tea, some extra rest, reaching out to a friend, or a food that my body needs. It might be a walk outside, connecting with my favorite tree, or some tough love….get that dump run organized, gosh darn it!
From a preventative medicine standpoint, these small moments all add up. It is self-care. During the worst of the stress I faced last year, I decided to keep really busy and tough my way on through it. As a result, a year has gone by, and I can see that I feel the same as I did last spring. I am seeing signs in my health that I feel are warnings: low energy, catching every last thing that comes along (I am normally NEVER sick!!!). When I put it all together with my self-knowledge, I realized that I needed to cut back my commitments in order to heal. So, even though growing my seedlings every spring brings me a great deal of joy, I am taking a rest from that.
Preparedness vs. Rigidity
There is a part of me (yes, the Irish part!) that is extremely stubborn. The O’Malley women in my line are known for this. This is how we get things done. However, as I have faced the aging process, I have seen how my rigid beliefs about what I SHOULD be able to do (vs. what I can ACTUALLY do) have literally caused me pain. I am seeing that to thrive in my immediate and distant future, I need to let go of my rigid thinking about what it means to be prepared.
Examples of this are, “I have to do this every spring. I can’t let it go.” “What will people think? I always grow my own!” “How can I call myself prepared if I buy my plants from the store?” I don’t want my rigid perspective on my own self-sufficiency badge of honor to get in the way of my health. I am flexing up my schedule to prioritize health and well-being.
What Do I Need Right Now?
When I checked the pepper planting schedule already taped to the wall and realized I was almost a month late, I knew something was up. I reflected on my priorities and decided I could let it go this year. It’s not the apocalypse. I can get the plants I need from friends and local plant sellers.
Looking even more deeply, I saw that the garden had suffered a fair bit since my back injury a few years ago. Is it time to assess what I’m growing and how? I had been struggling with overly sandy soil and considering moving to hugelkulture or simple raised beds. Should a full-out SHTF arrive, I can see that the overall state of my garden beds is a higher priority than seedlings for one year. It is time to do something about this.
Looking around this little cabin, I also realized that I needed simplicity. I have been getting rid of stuff and clearing out the space in a wonderful way. I wasn’t ready to fill it with seedlings. Looking inward, I saw that continuing the big purge was going to bring larger benefits for the time invested. I felt that the clutter had been going on too long.
So, there wasn’t one single reason why I’m NOT starting seedlings this year. And, really, this is just the tip of the iceberg of a large movement I’m feeling in my life around how I spend my time. My body has just been telling me to slow down, reflect, and choose carefully how I spend my time.
Do I anticipate growing my seedlings in the future? Yes, but perhaps in a simpler way. I’m seeing that I need to pay attention to my foundation: my health, my rest, my energy levels, and even my garden beds. Once that is more solid, I can choose from a better position.
Prepared in What Way?
In order to pay attention to my health, I have reduced some homestead activities that I normally enjoy. How do you balance your desire to be prepared with time and your health? What kind of choices have you made, for better or worse? Please tell us in the comments section.
About Rowan
Rowan O’Malley is a fourth-generation Irish American who loves all things green: plants (especially shamrocks), trees, herbs, and weeds! She challenges herself daily to live her best life and to be as fit, healthy, and prepared as possible.
