March is almost over and we have had one day of sun. ONE. While this sucks in a general way, in our world it means that our field is flooded. Standing water that has been there for so long it is growing algae. The farmer from last year decided not to cover crop so day by day we watch as our topsoil runs into the neighbor’s yard. We have no plants out in the field. They would drown. The hoophouses are in standing water as well. We are freaking out. We called the NRCS to come and help and all we got was a suggestion that maybe our land would be better suited classified as a wetland. The surrounding farms seem to disagree with that statement. We didn’t realize we are at the bottom of the watershed. We are near an actual wetland and we thought that was the bottom but apparently the water is actually being diverted to us and not it. It’s going to be tricky to get CSA boxes out in June if we can’t plant in the field until mid April!! We have 3,000 plants ready and waiting to go out. Slowly growing out of their pots and there is nothing we can do! 500 pounds of seed potatoes are on their way and we have no place to put them. We had to buy lettuce greens. What is the point of being a farmer if you have to buy greens? It makes me want to go back to school. Couldn’t nature have picked another year for record rainfall? Maybe last year? Our farmer friends just posted this on their blog and I think it sums up this dreary situation perfectly “Dear Winter, Give up already, we won. Sincerely, Portland”
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AuthorJen Henry is a Permaculture Designer, horticulturist and visual artist. As well as a massage therapist, herbalist, painter, chef, glass blower, writer and market gardener. She is grateful that her English Degree has finally come in useful for something. Archives
January 2012
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