August 19, 2024
Blue to Green
by Farmer Derek

After eight days away with the kids, I'm back on the farm, back in the saddle. It's amazing to observe the changes of the farmscape after 4+ inches of rain from Debby followed by a week of sunshine. Most notably, weeds have germinated with a vengeance after a long dry dormancy, cover crops have had a growth spurt, and many crops, such as beans, edamame, zucchini, cucumber, watermelon, and cantaloupe wane from pest and disease pressures.

To me, August feels like a major transitional month, especially the latter half. The green sheen and abundant growth of summer fades into yellows and browns as traditional summer crops dwindle. Contrarily, sweet peppers seem to hit their full stride with glorious ripe fruits. Early fall greens like chard and arugula arrive and lettuces rebound. Daylength will quickly diminish as we approach the fall equinox, losing about one hour and forty minutes over the next month.

Make no mistake, the hustle and bustle of summer will continue. The last gasp of germinating weeds will be met head-on with our arsenal of tools. Big hauls of crops still need to be retrieved, including pie pumpkins, winter squash, and the rest of the potatoes. There's been an uptick in the amount of seeding in the greenhouse as we fill trays for the final few rounds of outdoor plants as well as all of the tunnels. After this current round of rain, spent crops will be mowed and incorporated and cover crops will be sown, nurturing the soil until we break ground again next season. The proverbial light is seen at the end of the tunnel, but it's still a long way off. Let's hope it's a smooth ride.