Pulling Weeds

I’ve been pulling weeds for about three days straight now.

I started out a little frustrated. We haven’t used pre-emergent or soil sterilants for the past couple of years because they were finding their way into our trees and damaging them. I’ve tried other strategies, but every solution seems to come with its own trade-offs.

But that’s not really the point of this story (although I’d love to hear what works at your campground or home).

As I was pulling weeds, I was reminded of something I learned during my first year of campground ownership. I was trying to level a site with my tractor and gravel planer, but no matter what I did, I could only get it about 85–90% of the way there. I kept making pass after pass, trying to make it perfect.

Finally, my maintenance man, Steven Barker, walked up and said, “Paul, sometimes you have to get off the tractor.”

That lesson has stuck with me.

As a business owner—especially an owner-operator—there are times when you have to get gritty. Dirty. Hands-on. Mucky. Sometimes downright gross. There are tasks that can’t be delegated, automated, or solved from behind a desk.

And yet, I wouldn’t trade those moments for the corporate job I used to have. Working alongside my family, owning our business, and serving others is a joy—even during the less glamorous parts of the job. (Well, maybe not exactly during those moments, but you get my drift.)

So I put on my headphones and pull weeds.

When I’m finished, I can see the progress. The campground looks better. The job done.

Much of our success has come from simply doing what needs to be done, even when it means pulling weeds by hand.

Because sometimes, you have to get off the tractor.

Paul Peoples