Farm Life: Packing

Packing for camp this year was much easier than last year. 

Last year I overpacked a little. I brought my hiking shoes and several pairs of pants, among other things. The consequence of my ignorance was that when the mold and mildew settled in our tent, a result of a particularly wet summer, my extra unused clothes were prime location for those tiny organisms. I had to scrub mold off my boots! I sent them home with Jesse the next time he visited.

This year I knew better. I packed far less. In an average week I wear 1-2 pairs of shorts and maybe a pair of jeans, depending on the weather. I’ll wear a shirt or tank top 2 days in a row most of the time. As for shoes, I am almost always in my Keens. 

My Keen Clearwater CNX were one of my first purchases last year after coming to the farm. Within a few days of arriving my old Columbia sandals literally fell apart. I splurged and bought the thin-soled Keens based on my experiences in rivers (stubbed toes) and on what I saw at the farm. It seemed that every farmer had a pair of Keens, Tevas, or Chacos. 

I find my Keens are the perfect everyday shoe here. My feet get air, rocks and dirt are removed easily. I can slip them on and off in a few seconds, and they are lightweight. I live in my Keens here.

Keens don’t cut it for barn duty, though. I would not want to step in a pile of manure with sandals. For those days I wear my boots. A simple pair of boots works well enough, but I’m considering investing in a pair of Muck or Bog brand boots, as my current pair has developed holes after only one year. There is something to be said for investing in high quality items, and there’s a reason so many of the farmers around me wear these more expensive boots. 

Another change from last year is I don’t keep my clothes in my tent. We are lucky to have space in the counselor room to store our stuff this year. It’s a much better place for my personal items.

It’s interesting to look back on last summer and to look ahead for this summer, and think about how little I use or need on the farm. No one cares what you look like - some days you literally have poop all over you. Thus there’s less of a need to change outfits. You change your clothes when they get dirty. And you don’t want to dress too nicely because you’ll probably end up with poop and/or dirt all over you.