Scott visited the farm on a very rainy Tuesday of this week. He got soaked, and it even hailed for a moment! The wet conditions can make for a farm day that is both delightfully difficult, and delightfully exciting. The mud complicates things, but the cool breeze that accompany a rain are a welcome respite. Our vegetables are watered with drip irrigation and so aren't necessarily reliant on rain, but there is no doubting that the environment, overall, shines a little brighter after some rain. Any acreage we have planted in cover crop relies on rainfall to grow, and this week's precipitation certainly helped these plants develop long and branching roots and bigger, bushy foliage. More biomass in our cover crop fields, means more soil protection, and moil organic matter that will break down, food for future carrots.

 

We trellis our tomatoes using a method called the Florida Weave. A slit is cut in the tomato twine box, and the box gets attached to a belt for easy dispensing. The weave it just what it sounds like. Weave between the stakes, weave between the tomatoes. The figure 8 path holds tension on the growing plants. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

After the twine is woven between the tall wooden stakes, it's easiest to use another wooden stake to guide the string back and forth between tomatoes. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

We will do another row of the Florida weave whenever the tomatoes grow another foot or so. This labor intensive process will not only help grow healthy and strong plants, but it will also help reveal the fruit for easier harvesting. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Mud makes everything more difficult. The one task that's maybe a little easier after a downpour? Pounding tomato stakes. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The planting must go on. Luckily, we had beds that were prepped before the storm. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

On a rainy day, the twinkly lights in the lunch barn feel especially magical. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Aren't our harvest vehicles cute? Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Rain or shine, it's harvest time. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Jon Mark on the John Deere, under stormy, heavy clouds. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Farm Manager Jack making a plan with Tractor Operator Jon Mark about what they can quickly get done before the rain descends. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tomatoes looking bright, roads looking wet. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Mandatory lunch barn break to wait out the hail. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Lettuce acting like it aint no thang. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Grilling onions, mostly white, and one purple. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The best of both worlds: greens still tender and mild enough to eat, with a hefty enough bulb, worth the slice. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Farmer Tracy filling in on CSA line. Photo by Scott David Gordon.