May 24, 2020
Always a Challenge
by Farmer Derek

Now that we're into the harvest season (I don't think we can hit a pause button) my spirit(s) were saved by some much needed rain Friday afternoon and evening. Because if it didn't rain in order to coax crops along to eke out some more early season springtime shares I was going to have to spend much of this weekend setting up irrigation (and grumbling in my head). It had been a full two weeks since we enjoyed a meaningful rainfall and within that span we had plenty of windy days. I'll never complain about dry soil, except when we need rain perhaps once a week (and maybe just a half inch or so). Every season brings its own unique set of challenges and this year has fully succeeded in providing us a with a new experience to endure. Most seasons there's a fairly reliable transition from our tunnel crops, which enjoy a protected and warmer environment, to our outdoor crops, most of which are protected with and covered by sheets of floating fabric row cover. Because April and early May temperatures were mostly 10-15 degrees below average and there were quite a few frosts and even a few freezes late this spring many of the outdoor crops just sort of sat in stasis for a while. Normally the 5/1 date sparks an exponential burst of growth and the fields begin teeming with a green sheen. This year the tender new growth that attempted to snatch the suns rays amidst the lengthening days was then checked by a low in the upper 20s with some serious solid ice accompanied by warmth-stealing winds on a day that didn't pass the upper 30s. This was May not March. I think we're safely past those conditions and I believe crops will now show their true colors and eat up those sunrays with reckless abandon. But without rain and water, plants aren't able to grow because they need that hydrogen molecule from H2O to combine with carbon dioxide to produce the sugars to fuel growth. Thus we rejoiced, whispered a silent thank you and appreciation for our luck, and danced a jig with Friday's gentle life restoring rainfall. Once in a while we feel a confidence and a contentment with the progression of the season and growth of crops, but we do not want to think too hard nor dwell on it nor even fully acknowledge for fear of dispersing any luck we were given. Plus the long list of tasks and work beckons our attention. But Friday night, boy was I happy.

We did enjoy a good and productive and super busy week besides. There's quite a transition to the harvest portion of the season and especially this year with the new COVID precautions. Most of the fear and anxiety with this new system is dispelled now that we've been through Week 1 and there's no longer an unknown. Outside in the fields we accomplished many feats of farming. Winter squash was planted and mulched with a thick blanket of straw. The second watermelon planting went into sheets of landscape fabric. Irrigation was set up and used on sweet and hot peppers, field/slicing/u-pick/cherry/heirloom/tunnel tomatoes, strawberries, husk cherries, tomatillos, snow and snap peas, watermelon, zucchini, and cucumbers. Speaking of peas and strawberries, these will be the first of the u-pick crops available and they're looking great and will hopefully be ready in a week or two. Spring/summer carrots have been weeded (for now) and very soon the onion patch will be finished. Weed pressure hasn't been too great this spring, probably due to the cool and recently dry weather. If it wasn't for last season's buckwheat cover crop that we let drop seed there wouldn't be much to pull out. Another positive within some of the negative weather conditions we've had this spring is that 2-3 buckwheat weed seed germination successions were killed from the late cold. However, with ample rain and surely rising temperatures, summer annuals will need to be cultivated and/or plucked from their homes on a regular basis. So sign up for a workshift if you can!

One perk that has come with these new COVID distributions is that it has connected us to you, our members, a bit more. It has been so gratifying to see and talk with so many farm members, thank you for everyone's patience and good humor as we make our way through this new pick up routine. Here's to another week of harvests!