Low Clouds

Worked beneath low, dark clouds all day through. Drizzled in spits here and there, after closing the rain came steady. Temperature about 72F.


Jumped out of the car and joined the boys heading out to the lower fields. It was Stretch, NYU, Newport and me-- full crew today. CSA demands have been rising-- more members have been joining as the season has progressed. More of everything was needed for this afternoon, so first up: lettuce. We cut 6 crates worth of loose leaf, then moved over and pulled 2 crates worth of beets. The foreman rolled over in the tractor, picked up the catch and dropped off trays/quarts--strawberries up next. We picked through the 3 long rows of day neutrals-- vermin/insects/mold have been a big problem. Half the of the ripe berries were damaged beyond use, but we managed to fill 10 quarts. The weather outlook for tonight was bleak-- thunderstorms/hail/local flooding (/tornadoes?). NYU was supposed to be heading south to visit his girlfriend for the weekend-- he was going to be driving through the worst of it. He didn't seem worried. NYU said-- Well, if I die it would save me a lot of paperwork, that and you know a lifetime spent within some middle class bureaucracy. He was in a sunny mood.

We brought the berries back to the store and it was getting late. Grabbed some pick-buckets and got blueberries from the nearest field until lunch.


After lunch we marched to the hilltop and pulled 3 buckets worth of potatoes. Carried them back downhill and started to scrub things up. The CSA trickled along slowly, ominous weather kept the fair weather families at home. Washed up: more cucumbers, pickling cukes, summer squash, the lettuce, beets and potatoes. Bah and Old Rudolpho's crew picked 30lbs of tomatoes-- Purple Cherokees and some Moskvich. The blueberry fields near the boss's house were collapsing beneath their berries weight-- some bushes had infinitely more berries than leaves. We spent the rest of the day filling bucket after bucket with blueberries and carting them back to the store. Filled 5 trays in no time.

When closing time came, the boss had paychecks-- hurray!


Darlin is on her way up to stay the weekend-- but her bus is passing through the worst of all this weather. I'm a bit jittery about it. Whelp. Not level headed enough to write more now.

Sun is supposed to be out tomorrow, so Darlin and I might go wandering the farm fields-- maybe we'll shoot a few pictures.

Aside:
My boots aren't worth shit. I got a new pair of Wolverine work boots at the start of this spring and the whole front has rotted through. Duct tape and elastic bands are all that's holding the toe together. I mean, the soles are great-- rugged and perfect. Most of the leather is fine too-- it's just where the two connect (sole and leather). It's all just falling apart. There's a cobbler next door to my back-up pizza shop, maybe I'll bring 'em over. Anyway.


Stay dry and take it easy.