On the Joy of Working Hard

Sometimes I’ll be digging or broad-forking or scything or hauling logs on video and will get a comment like, “Dude… you’re working too hard!”

“Why didn’t you use a tiller/chainsaw/tractor/truck/auger/string-trimmer?”

Though we may appreciate the labor-saving of modern machinery, it’s also good to be proficient in off-grid hand tool work. One day, we may not have diesel. Or electricity. Or a working tiller.

On that day, wouldn’t it be good to still be fit and well-versed in man-powered gardening work?

Working hard is also good for you. Though you may enjoy going to the gym, you can also enjoy working your muscles by doing something productive, whether it’s chopping down a tree with an axe or chasing goats into an enclosure.

We’re all entirely too lazy. Just as we can’t imagine life without a smartphone, because it’s “so inconvenient,” we can’t imagine working a large garden by hand.

Not to say it’s always wrong to embrace short-cuts. When we first moved in here, we had a friend till under our new garden area with a tractor-powered tiller. That got us a fast start on our Grocery Row Gardens.

There are times to use what you have. But on the other hand, working hard is good for the body and the soul.

If you’re not in shape, gardening is a good way to get there.

You’ll feel better and sleep better after working hard. Plus, you get to look at your finished work with the pleasure of knowing your body got you there.

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