Turning

Full sun all day through-- good, good, good. The temperature reached the upper 70Fs.

As of today things are looking better. The recent cold snap shocked the corps, but also killed off the southern fruit flies and their larvae. Today's sun and warmth dried out the remaining raspberries-- the crew managed to pick a few trays worth before closing. There's more rain coming tomorrow/over the weekend, but hope springs eternal. Some raspberries might turn out.

After the store was squared away the real business began. The foreman, Newport, Gizzie and I hitched up the wagon/rolled up to the hilltop for potato pulling. All the weeds were mowed down yesterday, so new varieties this time around. We got: 2 buckets of reds, 3 buckets of Kennebunk, 3 buckets of yukon gold and 3 buckets of red french fingerlings. The soil was dense from the rain, making the hoeing slow. I screwed myself up a bit in the left hand, one of my finger joints tipped out of wack while cutting through some packed clay-- maybe I hit a rock. Anyway, I bound a couple of my fingers together and got back working. Hurts like a devil and I can't bear any weight on my left hand, but so it goes. I was in a sad head-state from the get-go-- Newport and Gizzie prattled along trying to snap me out of it. Deep funks take a while to squeeze out from underneath.

We washed and laid out the potatoes for CSA-- then lunch time.


Gizzie and I hid beneath the awning for sandwiches. Viking found us and needed to release some poison steam. She has the patience of a martyred saint, but no tolerance for systematic disrespect. The boss has been on a hair trigger all season on account of his pain/rapid decline in health. I wasn't aware, but he's taken out his frustrations on Viking. And she has had it-- no raise, 6 day work weeks and forgotten promises. She went on like a volcano. Viking planned on giving her two week notice today. He'd be devastated. Fortunately for him, the boss was on pain medication again-- acting nice as peachy rain. Viking cooled down and decided to wait a few more days before making any serious decisions.


After lunch we rode back up the hilltop to cut winter squash. We filled the bucket till overflowing with butternut and piled up a mountain of buttercup in the wagon. Big squash (like these) go easily and quickly. Back down at the store we washed and piled up mounds of squash for CSA, then stowed the rest in the greenhouse. Gizzie left early for class-- he gotta finally finish up his degree. Newport and I got busy rearranging the cooler/washing up everything Bah and Old Rudolpho picked. Then it was finally time to do something about the marble-molded butternut. We set up a table and painstakingly skinned several dozen squash. Once skinned, we cut off the stems, sliced them in two lengthwise, scooped the seed gunk, quartered up the meat and bagged it for sale. We went through several rounds of this for the rest of the day-- easy going.

They call for more rain tomorrow-- more rain, more worries. Endless worries. Time to scrub off the squash juice and eat.

Take it easy.



Post-Aside: My cousin had the baby this afternoon! Hadley-Rose is her name-- the next generation is here!