The Joys or Aches and Pains of Farming?

[FuriousOne]

This is my first full year of gardening and with 600 plus square feet of 2 gardens (herb and veggie) plus berry patchs, I'm finding its alot of work. Those idealic moments of picking my own salad or clipping fresh herbs for dinner are rewarding but far and few between moments.

My question is what do you use for the aches and pains of farming. First off , my poor hands! I hand weed (without gloves, I just cant get much done with them on) so my hands are paying the price. What products do you use? Someone have a homemade salve I can make?

Secondly, after a full afternoon of weeding, I ride the "my garden looks so pretty high" but man after I sit down, good luck getting up! I can be hobbled sometimes. A good long soak in tub would be nice, but installing a tub is on my to do sometime when I win the lottery list. What does everyone use for the aches and pains?

[Sinfonian]

Most of my gardening is done in half hour increments so I don't feel it as bad. When I do, alas I use Alieve. Seems to work. And yes, hot baths are not just for canning anymore.

Enjoy the soreness, I says you did something worthwhile as you see the results. Helps me. Good luck!

[plantoneonme]

I cannot stoop over to weed even for 1/2 hour at a time or my back and hips cause tremendous pain. I have a small wheeled cart that I sit on and simply roll next to the raised beds and weed or harvest. It has cut out a lot of pain. You could easily do the same in a row garden. As for weeding, why not try a hoe or some other type instrument to cut them off...it may save some of the wear and tear on the hands. Kim

[kinnisoj]

The biggest thing that I have learned in my garden that you have to stay on top of the chores. If you let the weeds and work get ahead of you....you will get overwellmed. Try to do 30-45 minuntes a day, and break up what you are doing. A few minutes rakeing a few minutes picking you get the idea. If you stick to this I guarentee your garden will pay you back. And if it all gets too much sit back and relax and take it all in. Take the day off!
And most of all enjoy the sore hands.Your out doing something that makes your life better!

[FuriousOne]

Thank you for the responses. I'm noticing as the season wears on i have to weed less in at least the herb garden which is a more established bed. It was tilled and dug last fall so the garlic could winter over.

The vegetable garden is a new bed this year. This is my first year doing this and I'm amazed how well things are going that I started from seed. Most everything took , my bay died (can't find replacement plants or even seeds to plant) but everything else is doing well in the herb garden.

The tomatoes and cukes died, the strawberry roots i planted never came up...But it is trial and error the first couple years I hear. LMAO the salad mix i planted last spring in a long planter never came up last year...BUT you should see it this year! All i did was throw the box outside for the winter in the snow.
;) So this year the strawberries will get the same treatment laughing hopefully they will come up.

The hands are doing better. I am following a routine of washing them after gardening and immediately applying aveeno. They seem to be softening up. I have a girlfriend that makes soaps that is sending me some of her homemade garden bars. Hopefully I can send homemade infused oils back made from my garden:)