Resilience and vision.
The value of doing something does not lie in the ease or difficulty, the probability or improbability of its achievement, but in the vision, the plan, the determination and the perseverance, the effort and the struggle which go into the project.
Helen Nearing, The Good Life
We did it! Over a period of 3 weeks, a million nuts and bolts, 100s of steel poles, 50+ panels and other random parts came together and our vision for a greenhouse at the ranch came to life. I think that Rob and Bernie would agree with me that this is, by far, the most complicated project that we've ever undertaken. Even with all of our years of Ikea furniture assembly practice, we were not prepared for this project.
Once again, I witnessed (in awe) Rob and Bernie quickly and calmly come up with effective solutions to every issue that we encountered (and there were many!). Nothing seems to stop them or get them down. Whether it be a week late delivery, unloading without a forklift in the dark, piles almost being delayed (thank-you Adam from Bright Stone Construction for coming through for us, AGAIN!!), missing bolts, unclear instructions, extra parts, fastening bolts on a slippery spherical structure, finding ways to reach over wide panels to fasten them, leaks, the snow, the cold - they persevere, find a way and help bring us another step closer to our vision for Boreal Ranch. Bernie, Cédric, Jesse, Josh, Joe and Cash, we are so grateful for all of your awesome help and to have had you along with us!
Our Quality Control Manager for the project.
My chickens also gave me an example of resilience. Halloween, I walked into the egg mobile to find a chicken with a very injured neck and eye getting pecked at by 2 other chickens. With the snow minimizing the space outside for the chickens to run, it turns out that they can get bored and then they start to peck each other. The culprits got a little talking to and I removed the injured chicken from the flock and brought her to our chicken hospital to heal. After a day alone, she seemed to want to go outside so I opened the door to let her roam. When I came to close her up at night, she was gone. Oh no!! Did a fox get her? Would a cat have taken her down? Frantic, I looked around but could find no sign of her. Could she have gone back to the group? I spent the next morning analyzing the the necks of 50 hens. Sure enough, I found her in a nesting box. Her wounds were healing well and she was back with the group, doing what she does best amongst those who had attacked her. In addition to spending time outside in the snow all day, who knew that chickens were so resilient?
I believe vision and resilience complement each other. Dodging boulders in the stream is so much easier when you know exactly where you are flowing to. I speak of this from experience. In my coaching practice, I get the honor of helping my clients clarify their life vision and witness them overcome obstacles to come closer to achieving their vision. Personally, four years ago Rob and I wrote out our life vision. We’ve overcome a lot of obstacles on the way and we are grateful to be living that life vision every day now.
And so, our vision for the ranch progresses - greenhouse: check!!! Following a little outfitting in the greenhouse, our eggmobile will be moved in there and the chickens will have a safe, warm space to live this winter. This spring, my foyer won't have to double as a greenhouse and my veggie seedlings for our market garden will get a proper start. Even more exciting, we are working on a new business concept that will be run out of the greenhouse and that will provide people with nutrient dense, healthy, Manitoba grown food.
No more cheap big box greenhouses and no more greenhouse bets. Now, onwards towards our vision and getting the next project up and going!!