Until about 3:15 p.m. last Thursday, Jan. 14, I figured our weekly continuing saga of Life on the Farm, would contain updates on the lovely little seedlings that have taken root, the cloning that’s getting underway or the myriad preps we’ve undertaken as the orders come in to Best Cali Hemp. But when the SWAT team comes to town, population 68.3 or thereabouts … well, plans change. Katrina and Richie headed down the road in separate vehicles. She on her way to gather grandchildren from Homework Club and he to mail product at the local post office. Katrina called to say that SWAT and first responders, fire and assorted other law enforcement were staged at the post office due to a hostage situation.
Alrighty then. To fully understand Milford, you gotta know it’s a blinkless town, meaning if you blink while passing through, you’ll miss it. This also means that everybody knows everybody and everybody knows everybody’s business. Therefore, the fact we didn’t know who was involved should have been an indicator that perhaps the incident involved more recent arrivals.
As happens, rumors of what was occurring made rapid rounds and involved what we now know to be serious misinformation. The actual incident occurred within full view of the farm. Never in our lifetimes have we seen nor expected to see SWAT coming up the road in some kind of urban assault vehicle, personnel walking ahead of and behind with REALLY BIG guns drawn (yes, that’s as technical as I get concerning firearms)….and a person walking down the middle of the road toward them….
It was surreal, and the retired journalist in me was wanting with all that I am to go stick my nose in
the action. Instead, I relayed the play-by-play to Katrina via phone. Suffice to say, the situation ended peaceably. Thankfully. Now this is the humorous part:
After the drama ceased, Katrina and Richie were allowed to return to the farm. Everyone had been held at the community center adjacent to the post office. Remember in the beginning of this the part where Richie was off to the post office to mail a package? Here’s Katrina’s perspective.
“We pulled up to the post office and there’s all this stuff going on like we’re going to war, law enforcement’s there with their police dogs, and Richie has this package he’s got to mail,” she said,
laughing. “And I’m thinking, ‘oh my gosh, they’re here to bust us for growing hemp, and hey guys, I’m right here if you need to talk with me…we’re legal!’”
“What did Richie do,” I asked. “Oh, he walked right past the dogs and sent the package.” As she recounted this, I laughed because I know what a stickler she is about rules and legalities and the irony of Richie and the police dogs and how times have changed. Perhaps her retelling was more funny simply because we’d all just spent two stressful hours expecting the worst, and I’ve found as I’m sure many of you have, humor during challenging (read inappropriate) times is great for dispelling negativity. I’m thinking regardless of how busy the week ahead, it will be very quiet as Milford and the farm are wont to be. And for that, I’m grateful. We all are.
‘Til next week, happy growing!