I proclaim this, the summer of lettuce!

A shot from Vitruvian Farms in McFarland, Wisconsin.

My last Thursday included six hours of …

Drying lettuce.

Bagging lettuce.

Weighing lettuce.

Packing lettuce.

Carrying lettuce to a delivery truck.

So. Much. Lettuce.

You’re probably wondering why I’m talking about lettuce (fair). It’s because a few months ago, I started working at an organic vegetable and mushroom farm twice a week. As a freelancer, I found that staring at my laptop all day wasn’t the best way to inspire creativity. Plus, I’m a plant nerd and have always been curious about working on a farm.

After my first few shifts, I came to the humbling conclusion that I romanticized what working on a farm would be like. I was initially stationed at the drying section of the “lettuce wash” which involves bagging and weighing lettuce for wholesale customers.

Picture a conveyor belt of lettuce slowly and steadily lurching toward you. Now picture the I Love Lucy candy factory episode, and you’ll have a pretty accurate image of what my first few lettuce-bagging shifts looked like.

I’ll be honest, I was terrible at first and my confidence took a hard hit. It can be so difficult to come to grips with the fact that, whenever we try something new, there’s a very good chance we’ll be lousy at it. But, as author and digital marketing pioneer Ann Handley reminds us, it takes bravery to suck at something new. And it takes an unwavering faith in ourselves and our abilities to pull us through hard things whether it’s starting a new career, launching into a new project or trying not to get buried in lettuce at the end of a conveyor belt.

Rather than spiral into self-doubt, I decided to take things one shift at a time. I gave myself patience and grace and I leaned on my friendly (and patient!) coworkers. Now, three months later, I’m so happy I didn’t give up. I’ve grown to love my little talks with fellow farmhands and learning more about what brought them to the farm. I’ve talked to students, retired teachers, Wisconsin newbies, artists and some of the kindest, most plant-loving souls I’ve ever met.

That’s why, in the most enthusiastic and George Costanza-ish fashion, I proudly proclaim this the summer of lettuce! And fumbling. And learning. And not being afraid to step outside of my comfort zone.

That’s where the real growth happens.