When we came home from our vacation, my older son had one question for me, “where did you find a six year old farmer girl to take care of your garden?”. I explained that B is my friend’s daughter, and how she had offered at one point to help me with my chores. I related how excited she was to learn that she had been chosen to be totally in charge for a whole week while we were going away.

Just before leaving on vacation, my wife thought that B was going to need an apron while working in the garden, one that would keep her from getting her clothes dirty, and with deep pockets where she could keep her tools, or collect fruit. She made her an apron that night and we left it with her mom just before leaving.

B’s work week at the farm went fantastic, she reminded her parents every day that she had to come and work. She was responsible, very gentle with the plants and extremely careful with her work.

B liked looking around our pond to find the elusive frogs that live in it.

Her favorite chore in the farm was watering the plants and getting wet wile doing it, she said laughing.

She was so good at making the water rain on the plants that she learned how to make rainbows.

Not everything was easy, though, B says one of the hardest thing she had to do was tasting a cherry tomato, yuck!! Also cutting eggplants off without getting pricked on the fingers by the green part was very difficult.

Spending a whole week caring for a garden gave B an insight on how fast plants do grow. She truly enjoyed the experience and  is even convincing her mom to plant a garden in their home so she can care for it. To feed B’s curiosity and interest in gardening, we will start a garlic and onion patch in her home this fall.

As for my garden, what can I say? It really looked better than when I left. The new plants grew quite a few inches, the tomatoes are producing so much the plants look like they need a rest (just this week I picked over 6 lbs of cherry tomatoes), the eggplants are shinny black and plump, and all the peppers are screaming to be picked off the plants.  This really proves that caring is more important than a green thumb.

When asked if she would do it again, she answered that whenever I go away I can always ask her to care for my farm. Would I hire her again? In a heartbeat!!

Thank you B, you are the best.

Related articles

• B is the new farmer in charge (bunchofcilantro.com)