Water, Water Everywhere?!?

It is hot out. You know it, I know it, we all know it. No, we all feel it. I bought a chocolate chip cookie at lunch today and by the time I got back to the office (a five minute drive later), the chocolate morsels were literally melted, as though the cookie just came right out of the oven. That’s hot. But I digress.

The papers all say that we are in the midst of the summer heat wave with temperatures expected to remain high through September. September?!? The thermometer on my car registered yesterday at 106 degrees. I cannot imagine withstanding temperatures like these (or even to a lesser degree) for one more day, let alone two more months!

As I sat in my air conditioned office today, able to adjust the temperature as I see fit, I was left thinking about Michael sitting in his “office:” the unrelenting sun-drenched fields -- the shadiest oak tree nowhere to be found. I can only imagine how he works on days like these and sometimes wonder what it is that drives him to do what he does…Yet again, I digress.

The theme of this post is Water, Water Everywhere?!? Do you remember the last time it rained -- and I mean, really rained? Me neither. Actually, I believe we got a brief downpour last Monday (I recall Michael calling me singing “Hallelujah!”) but it was not enough. Indeed, WAMU reported this morning that local farmers have been experiencing a drought since mid-May. The Post reported that Montgomery County water users were under restricted use last week -- primarily because of a water main shut off -- but it does make you wonder whether further water restrictions will continue to be in place as the dog days of summer move forward.

With the severe lack of water we have experienced this hot spring & summer seasons, I continue to be amazed at the produce that comes home with Michael every distribution day. Eggplant that looks robust, summer squash and zucchini that you can sink your teeth into…you get the idea. I have been to the Farm on many occasions and know that watering the fields is not only a science, but an art. Did you know that the Farm’s sole water source is a well that also supplies the property owner’s home (and her own small vegetable operation, too)? Because we are sharing water with another farming operation, the time for watering is halved (meaning, we have access to water from 9am to 8pm only). During watering hours, the cardinal rule for watering is half-hour on, hour off.

When hand-watering the plants, Michael usually sprays the plant’s leaves first with a gentle mist and then applies direct water to the base of the plant. If the plant is mulched with straw (as the tomatoes, tomatillos, peppers, eggplant, onion, garlic, etc.), then you have to nuzzle the nozzle into the straw to really get to the base of the plant…but as Michael explained to me a few weeks ago, the straw really keeps the water trapped for the plant’s continued use. A drip tape irrigation system waters other plants, too.

What will these hot and extremely dry conditions mean for the rest of our crops? It is too early to tell. The farmer cited in the WAMU report noted that his corn crop is usually a foot taller by this time in his previous seasons. Though the Farm’s crops seem to be flourishing, at what rate can they sustain this dry, scorching pace? And what about our fall vegetables? Broccoli and Brussels sprouts are ready to be planted, but require row cover to keep the fatal Brassica-loving pests from destroying the crop. The hot summer sun, however, will trap an enormous amount of heat under the row cover and will likely suffocate the plants. We are hoping that the temperatures break by week’s end so we can get these fall plants into the ground.

While everyone laments the heat wave and its resulting discomfort on our daily lives, just remember that the drought and three digit temperatures are stifling your fresh local vegetables. And, repeat after me: WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE!!