The Farmer’s in the Well

Not to worry, it’s only my head that is peering into the well. Some folks have a wellness routine, I’ve brought back my old drought-times well routine. It goes something like this:

• irrigate
• check well level
• wait
• check on air quality while waiting
• check well level again
• hope for rain
• start thinking about that pond we’ve been meaning to dig
• irrigate
• and repeat ’till well stops refilling… 

Hopefully that last part never happens! The well here used to be used to water a dairy herd, and cows are a thirsty bunch. As far as I know it never ran dry in all those years, so I’m hopeful it’ll hold out.

The news isn’t all bad though. Before I saw the hot and dry long-term forecast I was irrigating like it was going out of style and as a result I do believe we will finally have some Green Peppers, a few more (still ugly) Cucumbers, and if all goes well, we should soon have some Beans and Eggplant too! 

Our second planting of Summer Squash/Zucchini is looking much healthier than the first and has started to flower and there are even some nice looking heads of lettuce sizing up between the Summer Squash plants.

Our tomatoes, despite not being connected to the irrigation, are starting to turn in greater numbers and I hope to get them connected today. This morning, before starting on the well routine, I set up irrigation lines on our first Fall Brassica planting of Cabbages, Cauliflower, Kale, and Sprouting Broccoli. The Fall Radishes, Beets, Carrots, and Greens that were seeded in the small window of rain we did have are also connected to irrigation lines and the eagerest of the bunch have begun to sprout.

Needless to say, we carry on as best we can with some hope yet of decent Fall harvests despite the Squash Vine Borer I don’t have the heart to talk about today. There is nothing more humbling than farming in a drought. Was that a carrot sprout I saw? I think all farmers must be optimists at heart.

Sincerely, 
— Jenny

This Week’s Share:
🍃 Salad Mix
🥒 Ugly Cucumbers
🍅 Tomatoes
🫑 Green Peppers
🧅 Cipollini Onions
🧄 Garlic
🥬 Chard or Escarole
🌿 Mizuna
🌼 Herbs and Flowers