Taking a Short Break
If you happened to drive by our farmstand this weekend and noticed a suspicious lack of fresh-baked cookies, muffins, and bread, you might assume there’s some sort of protest happening.
Maybe I’m staging a one-woman boycott.
Maybe I’ve gone on strike.
Maybe I’ve finally snapped after one too many 3:00 a.m. alarm clocks.
Well…not exactly.
The truth is much simpler.
I’m taking a weekend off.
And honestly? It feels a little strange to even type those words.
The Reality Behind Farmstand Baking
One thing that social media doesn’t always show is just how much work goes into keeping a farmstand stocked with homemade baked goods.
When someone picks up a loaf of Apple Fritter Bread, a dozen Chocolate Chip Cookies, or a batch of Peach Cobbler Muffins, they’re seeing the finished product. What they don’t see are the days of preparation that happen beforehand.
Ingredients have to be purchased.
Recipes have to be planned.
Supplies have to be stocked.
Labels have to be printed.
The kitchen has to be cleaned.
And then comes the actual baking.
Because I also work a full-time job, most of that baking happens when most people are still asleep.
Or when they’re already in bed.
That often means 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. wake-up calls before work, followed by late evenings cleaning dishes, packaging products, and preparing for the next baking session.
By the time the weekend arrives, I’ve usually already put in several extra shifts’ worth of work just getting ready for the farmstand.
Don’t get me wrong—I absolutely love it.
But love doesn’t magically eliminate exhaustion.
The Animals Don’t Take Weekends Off
While baked goods can take a brief vacation, the animals certainly cannot.
The chickens still expect breakfast.
The turkeys still need attention.
The chicks still need to be monitored.
The bees still have hive inspections waiting.
The garden still grows whether I have free time or not.
Homestead life operates on its own schedule, and that schedule is remarkably unimpressed by human fatigue.
Our animals depend on us every single day, and caring for them remains one of my favorite parts of homesteading.
Even so, there are seasons when the routine becomes so busy that you realize you’ve been working around the homestead without actually enjoying it.
This Weekend’s To-Do List Looks Different
Instead of measuring flour and preheating ovens, this weekend will be dedicated to some things that have been patiently waiting for attention.
A little late spring cleaning is at the top of the list. I have in-laws coming to town!
The house could use some extra love after months of balancing work, baking, gardening, and animal chores.
The chicken coops need cleaning.
The turkey areas need refreshing.
The chicks are at that fun stage where introductions to the larger flock are beginning, so I’ll be spending time slowly helping everyone get acquainted.
The turkey poults are also growing quickly and becoming more curious every day, which means plenty of supervised visits and observation.
The bee hives need attention as well. Summer is arriving quickly, and there is always something to monitor when you’re managing honey bees.
I need to check the dear for next weekend’s meat bird harvest.
Most importantly, I want to spend some time simply enjoying the animals and the garden.
Not checking a clock.
Not thinking about what needs to come out of the oven next.
Just enjoying them.
The Lesson I’m Relearning
Homesteading often attracts people who enjoy working hard.
The problem is that sometimes we get so focused on building, growing, producing, and improving that we forget to enjoy the life we’ve worked so hard to create.
I know I’m guilty of that.
It’s easy to become focused on the next blog post, the next batch of cookies, the next garden project, the next farmstand weekend, or the next thing on the never-ending list.
But every now and then, it’s important to pause.
To sit in the shade and watch the chickens scratch around.
To listen to the bees working nearby.
To laugh at the turkeys doing turkey things.
To appreciate a clean coop.
To enjoy a quiet morning coffee without immediately thinking about what’s next.
The work matters.
But so does enjoying the rewards of that work.
The Farmstand Will Be Back – Next Weekend
Don’t worry—this isn’t a permanent boycott.
The farmstand isn’t going anywhere.
The cookies will return next weekend.
The muffins will return next weekend.
The Apple Fritter Bread will return next weekend.
And I’ll probably be right back to setting alarms that most reasonable people would consider criminal.
But for this weekend, I’m choosing rest.
I’m choosing slower mornings.
I’m choosing animal chores over baking trays.
I’m choosing to enjoy the homestead rather than simply maintain it.
And honestly?
I think that’s exactly what I need.
If you’re reading this while staring at your own never-ending to-do list, consider this your reminder that it’s okay to take a break every once in a while.
The chores will still be there tomorrow.
The garden will still grow.
The chickens will still be waiting at feeding time.
This weekend, that’s exactly what I plan to do.
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