Go Time

It's go time. It's almost May and it's time to get everything into the ground. We're expecting more rain, but we can't really wait any longer before we plant all the tomatoes, pepper, melons, and everything else. I think the most challenging part of farming as a profession is having to organize and plan for an entire year of business and then be subject to unpredictable weather. We know what we would like to grow and when we'd like to have it be ready for harvest, but for that to be achieved, it would require perfect weather and rainfall (doesn't happen often) or a climate controlled and protected growing environment (like greenhouses, which are costly on a large scale and the flavor of most produce typically suffers when grown inside).

Year to year variances in the weather profoundly affect what the year's harvest will look like. Years with a hot summer, warm nights, early last frost and late first frost dates tend to be incredible tomato years. On the other hand, years in which we have a really rainy and cold spring followed by a cool summer with lots of fog are often bummers for tomato growers. The inherent unpredictability of farming is why customers who ask me when we'll have tomatoes, peppers, melons, etc are often met by a blank and unknowing look. I really wish I could program the weather to be perfect, but I can't, so we just have to make the best of what we have and try to anticipate future weather patterns and intelligently respond to current weather.

As I write this, Jeff is out doing the last passes with the tractor for our next planting. After he's finished, we will stake out the beds and start laying plastic. We can't lay plastic in the rain or when the ground is super wet, so we're going to try and get as much done today as we are able. Our goal is to lay 1200 feet of plastic before dark. I think we can do it, but we might have to finish tonight with our headlamps on. We watch The Deadliest Catch (the crab fisherman show on the Discovery Channel) and have decided that we're like the crab fisherman who have to work past the point of exhaustion in order to get the job done. We may be tired and crazy and we may not be able to shovel any longer, but we will get the job done!

While Jeff has been working on bed preparation, I worked on staking and tying-up the first tomatoes we planted. It took be about five hours yesterday - five hours during which I crouched or squatted while staking, removing suckers, and tying the individual plants to the stakes. By the time I was finished, my hands were completely green/black from touching the tomato leaves and stems, I had green all over my arms and my face, my back ached, and my hands were quivering. I have no idea why it took me as long as it did or why it was as physically taxing as it was, but man, my butt was thoroughly kicked by the task. The work will pay off though, because the tomatoes will respond to the attention and support and will take off. Tomatoes are kind of like people - with the proper attention, care, nourishment, and support when young, they won't require too much intervention as "adults."