These are the sounds of the early morning here at Hope Farms. Coupled with a temperature of just 60* Fahrenheit this fine sixteenth day of August makes the day ahead feel like a picnic even though there is much to be done.
Rain is coming in the forecast today, and about a month ago I would have shrugged my shoulders and shook my head, but this time it's welcome. The band on the radar shows a pretty heavy rainfall - even if it doesn't amount to much in inches - it looks like many short downpours are headed our way here at the foot of the Uwharrie Mountains.
There are seeds in the raised beds coming up - the germination rate is so very quick in this warm weather as compared to February or March - and I'm so looking forward to this next round of growing.
Renewed. Refreshed. Energized. That's how it feels to have the very welcome break in the heat this week.
The last six weeks have been difficult to say the least. At the farmers' market yesterday I was talking with a woman who has been coming to the market faithfully, just about every single week for the entire three seasons we've been there, and she was telling me that everyone she knows that had a garden this year did pitifully.
Tomatoes are hard to come by. Okra is offered by the handful instead of the bushel. Squash? HAHA! When usually one is sneaking on to neighbors porches with zucchini in 20+ pound packages, there is nary a one to be found right now. Well, maybe one. Like the one lone yellow crookneck squash I took to the market yesterday and gave to a fellow vendor when she came over to get some Swiss chard (what's left of it after the army worms destroyed 1/2 of the crop) and an eggplant (which are doing fairly well considering their latest attack by aphids).
Today, I'm going to plant more seeds than necessary. I'm going out on a limb - so to speak - because that's where the fruit is. The fall garden here at Hope Farms is going to ROCK! And as ever, with NO SYNTHETIC CHEMICALS. Ever.
2 comments:
There was indeed a tiny green worm inside the neck of that small squash. I cut the squash open carefully, not wanting to injure the little guy, and took that piece outside. Now, I realize that worms and caterpillars eat crops, but they...and the resulting moths and butterflies...were here long before I was, so I have a live and let live policy. And, of course, I don't grow any crops, so it's easier for me to do that than a farmer or gardener. I could have thrown the worm into the trash, which would have been certain death, but I felt it should have an even chance. Outside, it might survive, or it might get eaten by the birds who come to my feeders. It's the best I can do for a fellow living creature...giving it pretty much the same 50/50 chance at life that I have.
I'm glad you took him (her?) to your place in the woods :) I agree with your live and let live policy for the most part - I practice (or try to) that with people. But not worms and pests that are detrimental to the little tiny livelihood I've got going, or growing, here.
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