No clouds, just sun. A hazy heat-- temperature stuck at 94F all day.
The foreman's friend, Newport, is finally back. Working with the two of 'em last year was tough-- they laid into me hard. But ever since I graduated into an 'old hand' we're thick as thieves. Newport is a fast talker-- the sort of guy whose sarcasm and fast wit make him impossible to read. He'll bullshit and chew the high school kids to bits with a mock-grin, then look me in the eye and say he's been chomping at the bit all spring to get back to the farm and put on a good sweat. And I gotta hand it to him, he's unstoppable with a hoe (or without one)-- the way he works is worth 3-4 of the summer help. So all morning he griped over the boss-- how could he hire a new guy and all the summer kids without bring him on first? --July is a late of a start.
NYU got the van all packed up then he and the boss took off for the big money market. I got out the trimmer, cleaned it over and mixed up the gasoline/oil (its a two-stroke engine). Big Boy, the new kid, followed Stretch and me up to the forest fields-- we reconnected the artery and laid a line of water guns between the basil and 2 new beds of beets the foreman planted. We headed down to the lower fields and connected up a line through the lettuce/through the mowed down strawberries, then double checked the drip line connections. I sent Big Boys and Stretch back to the forest field to get a start on weeding the summer squash and zucchini. The surviving squash/zucchini have grown enormous and some are already big enough to pick-- maybe even later this week.
I ran over to the horse pond and helped Newport/the foreman start up the water pump (the old tractor doesn't have a functioning fuel gauge, so we check the diesel level by popping off the gas cap and dropping in a long stick). The suction wasn't holding at first, so we jabbed the pump gasket with the fuel stick a few times. Started without a problem. The foreman and Newport headed off to the lower fields to check the water guns, while I dealt with the forest lines.
Irrigation was running A+. I picked up the trimmer from the farm store then headed back to the forest fields. Newport was up giving Stretch and Big Boy a hand on the weeding, so things were looking pretty good. I fired up the trimmer and sawed down the weeds/grass encroaching on the ends of each long row. At the side of the forest field are a few pine trees amid a meadow that creeps up the hill and down to some far off houses. The meadow's grasses and wild mustard weeds have begun to climb into the walking paths--inching toward the squash. So I got the string spinning and fought it back into place. Big Boy was melting in the heat, but Stretch and Newport kept on like leather men. Lunch came quickly.
After lunch Viking lined us all up for some administrating, we all filled out our work/tax papers in the air conditioned kitchen. We grabbed hoes and headed back up to the forest fields with some tall orders-- weed around the plants and along the plastic edges of the remaining squash, then the cucumbers and eggplants. So we got to it. A few hours in the foreman came up with the tractor to lay plastic. Big Boy and I helped him out, but the spool of plastic wrap ended just shy of 1 row-- so that was that.
The foreman came back a few hours later and we all took a long break in the shade. Big Boy and Stretch went on a water refill run, so the foreman, Newport and I had a few cigarettes and joked around. Break over-- the foreman brought out a big bag of urea: a pure nitrogen fertilizer. We poured it into a bucket and he gave me very careful instructions-- this stuff is potent. I peppered the pellets lightly, 1 foot around each cucumber plant-- but carefully, as a pellet can burn/kill a plant if it comes in direct contact with the stem or leaves. I started spreading without gloves, but the foreman brought me a plastic bag he found by the road side to wrap my hand. I inched my way down the two rows of cucumbers at a snail pace.
I finished a few minutes before closing time, right as the boys finished one of the eggplant rows (1 1/2 remaining). Newport decided the day was done and we all hiked back. I watered up the wagon load of seedlings, then headed out.
On the way home I stopped at a new beer store that's been growing on me. Talked a long time with the owner about his chickens. He currently has 9 hens who lay an egg about every 28hrs-- so usually 7 or so eggs a day. He has never had much trouble with foxes or fisher cats, but as he said-- the biggest problem is in the winter, with all the leaves fallen from the trees my chickens are completely exposed, i've probably lost 20 chickens in the past 10 years to the hawks, they just swoop down and that's the end of it.
State of the plants:
Corn-- grown a foot a week, now they've reached +6ft and begun sexing. The male tassels have completely emerged and the female silk has developed a light reddish brown color. (I'm only talking about the early planting, the late summer/fall fields have a long way to go) Just a matter of time now.
Summer Squash/Zucchini-- I'd lost track of these rows since the vermin incidents, but they've grown up to 3ft tall and maybe 4ft wide. Their meaty orange/yellow flowers are in full bloom, but many have progressed to fruit. I saw a good many foot long zucchinis ready to pick today. The summer squash is right in step, but their fruit needs a little more time to develop.
String beans-- Well weeded and ready to go. The plants are heavy with beans-- picking begins tomorrow (?).
Tomatoes-- They are really cooking, the plants are full bushes now. Every plant has a good couple dozen green tomatoes inching through their green. I'd wager another 1-3 weeks. The trellised cherries have wrapped their way up another foot and a half-- Bah and Rudolpho's crew pruned them back and adjusted the lines last week. The bunches of cherry tomatoes are looking good.
Potatoes-- the boss pulled a few on Monday to check their progress-- they've grown from the size of the little finger's nail into door knobs. I don't know what the boss's plans are-- maybe in a few weeks we'll start to pull a few bushels worth as the rest grow to full size. Then again, we might just wait for August.
Basil-- Has hit full size, some have even begun to flower (which needs to be fixed, i.e. snipped off). If the boss is on his game maybe we'll trim a few dozen bushels for this week's CSA.
Eggplant-- Still has a ways to go. 1-2 feet tall, definitely not strong enough to even carry their fruits' weight.
Peppers-- The plants are a bit over 2 feet tall now and have grown many different layers of leaves. Marching between rows while weeding, I noticed a good number of little green peppers (maybe 1-3 inches long).
Cucumbers-- The plants are looking a lot more healthy-- their runner vines have begun to creep out over the plastic wrap. Still, only a few blossoms have flowered out. A while yet to go.
Cantaloupe-- The plants themselves are getting enormous, spreading vines out in all directions. Spotted a good number of flowers in bloom.
Pumpkins-- Just getting established, its a long time until October.
Lettuce-- We are in a bit of a fix this week, stuck between fields. I doubt the next round will be big enough for CSA this week-- but I've been wrong before. The following round is hardly visible from a distance-- the seedlings are still getting acclimated to the field. There is still some romaine left in the previous round-- mangy looking and not nearly enough to meet CSA demands.
Arugula-- All chopped last week, but we were careful to leave a good 2 inches of stem and ground leaves so they will grow out for another round. The boss is enamored with the stuff. High demand, easy to grow, 2 crops, cheap seeds and sell for a great price. I bet that even after the hilltop rows run dry, we'll plant/cut many more rows before the season is over.
Beets-- Some of the mid-spring rows are getting fat-- their leaves finally bulking up. With the recent heat the new beets are coming at a much faster pace. I haven't pulled any test beets, so for all I know we could have some bushels this week at CSA.
Spinach-- This year hasn't been kind to our spinach. It's grown slim and slowly. The rows on the hilltop have been the only full success so far.
Bok Choi-- Now that the 'interesting' summer berries and veggies are coming out the demand for choi has dipped. After Stretch and I cut the most of the 3 rows last week-- nothing new has been planted (to my knowledge). There might be enough still to cover one CSA week.
Broccoli Rabe-- Same as choi, except even less demand.
Broccoli/Cauliflower-- No idea. Since the raspberries hit it is as though everyone forgot about 'em. Although, after the vermin ravaged the field things were looking very bleak. We have 5-6 trays (each) of cauliflower/brussel sprouts growing out on the wagon. 15 trays of broccoli are inching along, still in the greenhouse. We have 6-8 trays of cabbage that look fantastic (it doesn't get its own little section as no one but me seems to care about cabbage).
I posted pictures of the berries on the last picture day-- so just imagine more berries with deeper colors. The strawberries (except for the day neurtals, which haven't started yet) are done. The blueberries have begun-- big and blue. Strangely, none have been picked yet-- just too much needs to be done.
I'm forgetting a lot here-- maybe another picture day is necessary.
Darlin' is coming up to visit this weekend-- pictures might be part of the festivities.
Here's hoping for more hot growing days.
Take it easy.
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