“Dream the fisherman in his boat, he’s comin’ home empty. He’s barely afloat. Dream the logger in the great northwest, they’re runnin’ out of trees. They got to give it a rest. Dream the farmer in the old heartland, corporate greed and chemicals are killin’ the land… Save the Planet for another day, be the river as it rolls along. Be the rain. Be the rain. Be the rain.”
It’s been a very busy couple of weeks for Farmer David and his hard working crew of Greg and Oscar. With the rain creating a delay in planting, the workdays are long and the restful nights are short. There have been a couple of days that started at 5:30AM and more than a few days that didn’t end until dark. Long hours such as these are common to small, family type farms. Add to this the August type heat of last week, and you can better appreciate what it takes to commit oneself to farming. Whether you buy at farmers’ markets or your local grocery, take a few moments to appreciate the hard work that went into getting the food to you. If you do shop for your produce at a farmers’ market take a moment to thank the farmer. Take the time to learn more about the process of farming and you will better appreciate that you are getting great value for your hard earned money.
Despite the rain and the heat, a lot of planting has taken place. Lettuce, Swiss chard, kale, fennel, sweet and hot peppers, various onions and scallions, potatoes, and tomatoes, plus a few others, have all been planted. As of today the plants are doing well and some items should be ready for market within the next week. With all of this planting is still behind schedule and more long days are anticipated. A day in the life.
Ground hog news - there has been some damage done to lettuce by groundhogs. Hule has gotten one ground hog, but there are more to go. Between pests, disease, and ground hogs, keeping the plants in good shape is an ongoing challenge.
Long days and pleasant nights to one and all. Shop local. Eat healthy. Peace and hopefulness to all.
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