Gone, Just Like That: Summer ’16 CSA #8

 In CSA Newsletter

Wilted tomatoes after way too much rain

In our  12 years of farming, we’ve never had such terrible storm damage.

I was literally holding back tears as we drove our harvest cart around the fields, surveying the damage.  Neither of us said anything. We just silently observed one calamity after another. So much work, gone. Just like that.

So what exactly did the storm do?  Well it wasn’t the intense lightening or winds. It wasn’t the heat before it.  Rain. Rain was the culprit.

While none of our crops are under water, the roots were/are.  And just like people, roots need to breathe. With 4.5 inches of rain in less than a day and many low spots in our fields, many of our plants are drowning in the saturated soil.

Good soil is a mixture of  living organisms, decaying material, minerals, air and water. It should be like a sponge. But given too much water, the plants can’t breathe.

Ironically the damage looks similar to what a plant looks like when it’s thirsty.  It wilts. But in this case it is wilting due to lack of air as opposed to lack of water.

Brussels Sprouts wilted from too much water

Our tomatoes.

Our brussels sprouts.

Our peppers.

Our fall broccoli.

All have taken serious, serious hits due to the water. Despite being in raised beds.

If there’s one thing we just can’t control at all as farmers, it’s rain and storms. We can handle drought. We can handle some diseases and pests.  But there’s nothing, nothing, nothing we can do when there’s too much water.

And so just like that, so much work – Mike’s, mine, our crew… just wasted.

We are hopeful that some of the tomatoes and peppers can snap back from this. But the Brussels Sprouts. Wow. What a bummer.

There’s just not much we can do to prevent the damage of 4.5inches of rain. We always plant extra, but this time that may not help. Expect that you won’t be seeing as many tomatoes and peppers in your box as you have in prior years. And don’t plan on any Brussels Sprouts, as least for the summer CSA.

Please cross your fingers and send good wishes for the tomatoes and peppers to make it through.

Sincerely,

Farmer Cassie

In the Box:

  • Basil
  • Bell Pepper
  • Cabbage, Red
  • Cucumbers
  • Garlic
  • Green Beans
  • Sweet Corn
  • Watermelon
  • Zucchini

REGS only:

  • White Sweet Onion

EOs only:

  • Carrots
  • Dill Flower
  • Eggplant, Globe or Japanese
  • Yellow Sweet Onion

Recipes:

Wednesday, July 27th: Everyother Group B