Whatever the weather.....
This has been a very interesting summer for weather for us at the farm. I've been farming at HOG since 2005 and have gotten used to very dry droughty summers. We have put a lot of time and money and energy into designing, installing, and maintaining an elaborate system of pumps, buried mainlines, sprinklers, and drip tapes to supply our crops with a steady supply of water to grow through the dry summer months. The upside of all this rain is we don't need to worry about irrigating, saving us money on gas to run the pumps, labor time to move the pipe and run water in the evenings.
But now I find myself nostalgic for those dry dusty days, when weeds don't grow and the mosquito breeding grounds are minimal! Lately it feels like a tropical rain forest at HOG! I find myself wondering, is this a quirk or the beginning of a new trend? The summer of 2017 had its fair share of rain also, so for 2019 should we adjust our planting plans and harvest timing on rain sensitive crops like onions and potatoes to account for more expected rainfall? One of the biggest challenges of farming is not being able to accurately predict, let alone control, the weather. It is one of the reasons we drive ourselves crazy with the complexity of cultivating over 200 different vegetable, flower, fruit, and herb crops. What is too much rain for some is just right for others. The diversity of our fields has hopefully translated into a diversity of tasty meals and snacks for you and your families.
Stay dry out there and enjoy the cooler weather moving in this week! I snuck a peek at our pumpkin patch and there are lots of baby fruits in there! Fall is approaching. My favortite season!
-Farmer Sean
