Closer and Closer

Full sun all day through. Temperature in the upper 50Fs.

These final days have been hard and heavy-- today was no different. Newport got an early start and was out in the field when I pulled up. Pulled plastic from start to sundown.

Once the foreman showed up we dragged along, clearing most of the fields. The big tomato field is done (8 rows), we headed up to the forest field and pulled the cucumber/early zucchini & summer squash rows (5 long rows)-- then down to the trellised tomatoes (12 rows finished, 3 rows half cleared). It's been a while since we've dug deep and dirty in the soil-- my hands are sliced to ribbons.

Tomorrow is the doom day-- I don't know what will happen. We have about 8 rows left in the trellised tomatoes, 3 long rows of peppers, 5 long rows of cantaloupe, 3 long rows of eggplant and 2 long rows of basil. If we keep up the pressure pace, it'll all be done. Then no more work. Long ago, the boss mentioned that the blueberry fields needed to be trimmed back-- but with money so tight, he might just let 'em be.

Newport and I have been real buddy-buddy these days. With the foreman either keeping to himself (maybe dreaming of new jobs and the city) or off in the tractor-- the two of us trade cigarettes and horse around. It was a busy day up in the sky-- we counted planes passing overhead while ripping plastic. Got to seventeen planes. Newport doesn't like to talk about the season ending-- he used to have a winter-job in a sandwich shop and he'll do anything never to go back. He's been calling up a hydraulic factory he was laid off from several years back-- hoping they'll have the budget to hire him back. Doesn't look like they ever will. With things so bleak, we stick to talking bullshit and complaining about the fields/weeds/weather.

We're lucky that the moon is up and near full-- makes it easier to find our way back to the store after sundown.


Whatever happens tomorrow, I have plans for one final post/picture day. Once I'm let loose I'll have time to scamper around with the camera and shoot some late Fall photos. Then it'll be time to pack up the Farm Blog. Maybe just for winter, but maybe for longer than that. We'll see.

Take it easy.

Thick beers are in order.