Drought, Groundhogs, and Crows, Oh My

The weather this summer is proving to be tough for farmers and customers alike.  Typically, we vendors don’t like it when it rains during Farmers’ Market because the customers tend to stay home.  However, if it were to rain during market right now, I think you had better make the trip out because you would probably see all of us farmers dancing in it. 

    Of the vegetables I grow my green beans seem to be struggling the most for lack of water.  The early beans were very sparse and mostly short and stubby and curled up.  I like to plant beans every seven to ten days to ensure a continuous crop.  However, many of my plantings came up at less than 50% germination due to the lack of rain and the extreme heat.  A couple of the rows that I planted in mid-June seem to putting on some new growth and looking healthier this week from the half inch of rain we had on Sunday, so I’m still holding out hope for some of them.

            The next major problem many farmers have been facing is varmints.  I am lucky that the deer have not been putting too much pressure on my vegetables so far this year.  They seem to have just taken a little off the tops of some of my edamame (soybeans).  However, groundhogs have been a major problem.  A family of about seven of them took over my watermelon patch and ate half of the plants while they were in there early stages of growth.  That problem seems to be under control for the moment, but now the other half of the patch that is just setting on large watermelon is under attack.  This time it is crows.  Just as they are starting to ripen the crows peck holes in the rind, ruining the whole melon. 

            My first line of defense was to set out several metal posts and attach pie pans to them with twine.  This has worked for me in the past, but I’m not sure it is fooling any crows this time.  I’m going to make a good old-fashioned scarecrow to put in the middle of the patch as well.  I doubt it will do much good on its own, but I’m going to try hanging shiny and noisy things from it that will blow in the wind.  I think old CD’s will make good reflectors and maybe a cow bell or wind chime would help.  I’ll keep you posted if any of this works and if you have any clever suggestions I’d be glad to hear them.  If we weren’t so busy with storm cleanup and getting the house ready for a family reunion this weekend, I’d appeal to my dad to sit out there with his gun.  That would be the most effective trick, I’m sure.

Please don’t think that the news from the farm is all depressing as the first half of this article might suggest.  There are still a lot of good things happening.  The local tomatoes are really starting to ripen now and local peaches are ready as well.  My cousin Jill just sent me this very timely recipe she got off WebMD.  It is as tasty as it is pretty.

Peach and Heirloom Tomato Salad

1 large ripe peach
3-4 small heirloom tomatoes, preferably different colors
½ lb. green beans, ends trimmed
¼ cup basil leaves, cut into thin strips
1 small shallot (I subbed a clove of garlic)
2 tbsp. champagne vinegar
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:  Bring a medium pot of salted water to boil.  Add the green beans and allow to cook until slightly tender-crisp, about 4 minutes.  Scoop them into a large bowl of ice water. then drain well.  Cut the peach in half and remove the pit.  Cut into thin slices and add to a salad bowl.  Cut one of the tomatoes into thin slices and cut the others into wedges; add to the bowl.  Add the basil and drizzle with dressing (you won’t need all the dressing.)  For the dressing:
Finely mince the shallot (or garlic).  Place in a bowl or in a glass jar with a lid.  Pour in the vinegar and the lemon juice.  Add a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper.  Mix well.  Drizzle in the olive oil and whisk or shake well.  Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.  (Serves 2)