Hello Farm Folk,
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 it the moment we head inside. 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 Farmgate, 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, farmers with clay soil are desperate for it to stop raining. This raindance of competing needs goes on inside of farmers too, 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. Other years, the rain has destroyed my farming season. In 2010, farming on a dense, clay soil in Brampton, we were thrilled when April/May 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. The harvest that season was abysmal. This spring, while others bemoan the rain and overcast weather, I have been jumping for joy. Over this past week, we planted approximately 3500 kale plants. And thanks to the rain and overcast weather, our plants are settling in beautifully! Further, thanks to the rain, our four 200 ft beds of Arugula and two 200 ft beds of salad mix have germinated beautifully. Hallelujah!
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 exactly what we need….it feels pretty damn good!
Happy Dancing, and Keep Living on the Veg!
Daniel
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot. Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” – Dr. Seuss
