When will the rains come?
Monday, October 20th, 2008People who grow things love to talk about the weather. It’s a common refrain in the store to hear accounts of an incoming freeze, impending rain, and long days of drought. Animated conversations about rain and chill are especially prevalent around this time of year, when the weather is starting to change and bring the season to a close. After the long summer of irrigating, farmers and gardeners are eagerly awaiting the rain. Seth, from Heaven And Earth Farm just came in and commented on our first storm, “that rain was just a tease” he jokingly stated. But in all reality, rains can either make or break a farm.
Here in the foothills we had our first frost a couple weeks ago, and everyone was scrambling to cover their tomatoes, and prolong the last few juicy, sweet morsels of summer. Our row cover can keep the basil coming well into the fall. It’s time however, to trade in the long-suffering zucchini for the Butternut and finish the fall days with fresh greens, newly invigorated by the cool weather.
Living and working on farms the last few summers has changed the rhythms of my lifestyle dramatically. Spending so much time outside amid the growth cycles of plants has made me much more aware of the turning of the seasons and the angles of light. I relish the first rains, and the knowledge that the hard work of summer will soon be followed by the reflection of winter. Who knew the weather could be such a fascinating topic!
