Farm Update:
Over the last couple weeks, we’ve been blessed with well-timed rains. Farmers are funny, when it comes to rain. We want it exactly at the right moment. We don’t want it when we’re working in the fields, but we want just when we leave to go home. We want it when the plants are thirsty, and then not until the plants are thirsty again. Often, we want it and don’t want it at the same time. When our plants are needing a drink, we are desperate for it to rain…unless we are running a Farmers Market or a CSA, so that more people will attend. We want it to rain for our farm in Sutton, where the soil is sandy and dries so quickly, and at the same time, we don’t want it to rain in Brampton, where the soil is clay, and often over-saturated. This raindance of competing needs goes on inside of farmers, and challenges our emotional wellness. For farmers, how well our crops are doing often has a big impact on how we experience life. Lousy crops and plants that aren’t thriving can give us the blues, and dampen our spirits. Happy plants and bumper crops lead to happiness, joy, and inspiration. Of course, the challenge is to maintain emotional stability throughout the ups and downs of each season. Organic Farming truly is a spiritual practice for many of us. Whether we like it or not, our inner world will be challenged. Some seasons, the timing of the rain seems to work out just perfectly. In 2008 and 2009, it seemed to rain exactly when we wanted it to. It would rain every week or so, but not in between. It would rain just as we were leaving the farm, after a hard days work. In 2010, we were thrilled when April was super dry, allowing us to get a major jumpstart on the planting. Then it rained almost every day in June, and drowned our plants. This year, following way too much spring rains, and summer drought, it has been a wonderful treat to get some rain exactly when we need it over the last couple weeks. These well-timed rains have saved us countless hours of work irrigating, and is making our plants very happy. The Hot Peppers, Eggplants, Tomatoes, Winter Squash, Basil, Zukes, Cukes, etc, are all looking healthier than ever. In farming, and in life, we don’t always get what we want exactly when we want it. This challenges us to practice acceptance, patience, trust, etc. But in those moments, where we get when we want, when we want it….it feels pretty damn good!
Turnip the Heat:
Market attendees write about discovering the joys of cooking with and eating turnips from The Cutting Veg: http://bit.ly/nL30W7
