Author: Bryan Housel

Hello Folks, We received a little more that an inch of rain over several days last week.  The heavy rain that was predicted never materialized here on the farm- it was mostly light rain and drizzle.   In some ways this is good, because it gives the ground a chance to soak it up and not runoff.   Unfortunately, two days of drizzle, followed by an overcast day make the perfect conditions for the fungal diseases which plague the tomatoes and cucurbits.  We are currently on the second day of a similar scenario – light rain and little sunshine.  We are, nevertheless, grateful for the precipitation. (more…)

Hello everyone, Happy Labor Day! It seems we will finally see some abatement from the prolonged dry spell. At this writing we are receiving light rain and more and heavier precipitation is predicted over the next 36 hours. Hopefully, we will be graced with the wet stuff with more regularity as we head into autumn. It also appears that the extreme heat may be mostly over for this season. Now we must hope that the first frost does not come to early and that it will not begin to rain too much! (more…)

Hi everyone, So, we received about ¾ of an inch of rain a week ago.  It was certainly welcome and helpful, though not nearly enough.  We are coping as best we can, moving the overhead irrigation from crop to crop.  I am planting lots of spinach, turnips, arugula, and other mustards right now and they all need moisture to germinate.  The corn and the winter squash need water to mature their fruit and the fall brassicas need the wet stuff so they keep growing rapidly.  It seems we have a 50% shot at showers tomorrow and then again on Sunday.  Pray for rain! (more…)

Hello Folks! So, we received a small amount of rain today, and hopefully there is more on tap for Monday evening and Tuesday. For some crops it may be too little too late – particularly for our winter squash and pumpkin crop. Many of the vines have died and the rest are already maturing very small fruits. I am hoping that if it starts raining with more regularity, they may begin to grow and flower again, but there is not much time left. (more…)