The thing about weather, you learn as a farmer, is that it is often associated with the word “pattern.” We listen to the forecasts that modern meteorologist give and they see that the Earth’s air masses are moving in such a pattern that cool and wet air is not heading towards us.
I remember our first year at the farm in 2003 it was quite hot and dry. Not having grown up here, I did not know how common such a brutal stretch could be. That year July and August were about like now. From August 1 to 30th less than an inch of rain fell, and beginning in the middle of the month the temps ran for 10 days at 100, 104, 105, 104, 102, 106, 98, 96, 100, 104, 102, and then 95 and below. That may be our next 10 days too.
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| Sorting tomatoes |
Despite it all, this hot and dry weather is one of the reasons this year’s harvest has been so plentiful. Thrive is another word you learn as a farmer. Sometimes you mollycoddle a plant and it produces little. Other times, you provide good fertility, irrigation and care and the high quality vegetables keep flowing. The dryness and heat are a combo that the tomatoes, peppers and eggplant thrive in, and it is nice to watch.
In thinking of ways to suggest you enjoy your tomatoes, I searched for Tom’s Tomato Sauce and found it in our August 3, 2005 newsletter. The entire second page is exactly what I was thinking all day of putting in the blog. I suggest reading the entire newsletter and look back at how things were 7 years ago.
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| Blanched and skinned tomatoes ready for the freezer |