As some folks might expect, coffee is often the fuel that farmers run on (sometimes it is burning hatred of the weather, but that is never as consistent as coffee). My mother starts her day at 5 am with a cup of coffee and a splash of half and half. Through nature and nurture, I have incorporated this particular morning coffee ritual in my life. My aunt Kelly starts her day with a tumbler of Starbucks coffee that she buys from Target. Aunt Renee is not much of a coffee drinker; but she finds other ways to consume caffeine.
Once the initial cups of caffeine are consumed, the Mamas convene in the garden and the morning chores take place. In this first coffee-driven rush, the chickens are let out of their coops, fed, and their eggs collected and washed. Around 8:30 am, the Mamas (and their children that are helping them that day), slump their way to Grandma Sandy’s house for their second dose of fuel. Here, Grandma Sandy awaits with a large, freshly brewed pot of coffee and plenty of creamer to go around. Mugs filled, Mamas and kids alike find a seat on barstools, on the couch, Papa’s chair, or even the floor. Then the chatter begins. We bring each other up to date on any event that has happened in the last twelve hours; about kids, husbands, and yes, even farm work. Often times the plan for the day gets laid out in Grandma Sandy’s living room. Sometimes big business decisions take place, like purchasing new tents. Lately with my sister’s engagement, there has been plenty of wedding planning taking place. And if no one has anything to talk about, Papa always has the morning news running in the background of our hen-like clucking.
It didn’t always happen like this. When I was younger, we would just go to the house if we needed a break (potty or food) or if the Washington weather got the best of us. It started to become more habitual during COVID, when our family was the only people we could see. We used the time at Grandma Sandy’s sort of like therapy sessions, sharing each other’s burdens. As the world began to go back to normal, the Garden got busier, and my mom and aunts would start to spend more of their mornings out harvesting or planting in the fields. Sure, the kids still went to Grandma Sandy’s in the morning for cartoons and whatever kind of sugary breakfast she was handing out, but those mornings were not what my grandma craved. So, she would stand in her living room window (which is directly across from our main field) and watch us work. If we didn’t show signs of stopping in the morning, she would call my mom and ask “Well, aren’t you going to come in for coffee?”
The Mamas soon began to realize just how important it was to my grandma to have social time and for them to have a quick rest in their busy day. Also, who doesn’t want a second cup of coffee in the morning? So now, we have “mandatory coffee time” as my Uncle Jamie dubbed it. As I have moved down to Kirkland for college, it is that time that I miss the most often. When I go home for breaks, I make sure to dwell in the special moments of rest and community that are fostered in Grandma Sandy’s living room. We aren’t always perfect with our mandatory coffee time—in the busy summer months it is a merely fill your cup, say good morning and head to the field situation—but we now are aware that community outside of work is a ritual that we must build into our schedules. Mandatory coffee time is the glue that holds us together.
~Emma
PS: Mama’s Garden is no local coffee shop, but we do have a few in our area! If you are driving through our valley to get to Bellingham, be sure to stop at the Home | Xtreme Bean Espresso! If you are stopping by on your way up to Mt. Baker, be sure to stop in at Joe’s Fine Coffee : 7463 Mt Baker Hwy Suite A, Maple Falls WA 98266 | Joe’s Fine Coffee : Coffee, Sandwiches & Baked Goods in Maple Falls, WA (joesfinecoffee.com)
