You might be wondering how it's possible for us to continue our roll through these sweat-soaked, sun-laden dog days of summer... so this week, we wanted to shed some light on how we slightly alter our practices so that we can farm year-round! A lot of farms will shut down during July and August because of the extreme and scorching conditions, but here at JBG, we keep truckin’ along through the depths of summertime. Let’s just say farming is not for the faint of heart. There are a handful of procedures that we adhere to in order that our employees and veggies can stay as cool as possible.

Sunrise. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

One of the things that really helps is starting at daybreak. Imagine everyone rolling into the dewey and pitchblack farm, headlights on, and preparing for daily tasks in the cool morning air. We usually have the tractors running by 6 AM and are wrapping up work for the day promptly after lunch. This schedule allows us to circumvent being out in the fields during the hottest part of the day. This week alone the temperatures have been at sustained 100+! Sun protection is of utmost importance as well, lots of wide brimmed hats and long-sleeves. When rainfall is sparse, dust abounds at the farm; thus, bandanas are necessary and greatly useful. Hydration is key along with a constant supply of electrolyte packs (plus, that highly coveted ice machine at the farm to really cool things down), but what has really kept everyone going this year are the melon breaks. A Hergotz favorite is watermelon with a sprinkle of tajin. You should try it!

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Everything gets trickier in terms of keeping quality at a premium during these summer months. Once the produce is harvested, the veggies retain field heat that needs to be removed quickly so that the condition remains high and the vegetables don’t start to decay. Some crops like tomatoes need to be harvested in the early mornings, as it is integral to pluck the fruits while they are still cool from the overnight reprieve; otherwise, it tends to get too hot on the fields for those veggies to continue to thrive. Our harvest trailers have been revolutionary for summertime farming, and in this specific situation, it aids in getting the produce immediately out of the sun post-harvest and underneath a canopy for some shade. It also generally reduces the backbreaking work for our field crew as they can harvest alongside the vehicle since the arms on the vehicle reach out 5 rows wide. All of our post-harvest handling during the summer is very focused on maintaining the cool chain, which simply put means removing field heat and keeping the produce cold to ensure tip-top shape for the customer. Thus, cooler organization is very important so we can get harvest bins into the cold as quickly and efficiently as possible. The coolers are packed to the brim in the summer, and we only pull out exactly what we need so that the veggies can stay cool.

Harvest trailer. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Harvest trailer. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Deliveries are even affected by the change in temperatures. The ceaseless heat can make the tires blow out; so, maintaining delivery vehicle wear and tear helps prevent any scheduled delivery mishaps. It goes without saying, but air conditioning unit maintenance is crucial, too. Speaking of deliveries... CSA members, did you know that if you receive home deliveries and leave a cooler on your front porch, our delivery driver will transfer your veggies directly into the cooler! Also, those who pick up, get to your site early to make sure that those veggies aren’t baking in the box.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.