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Mouths Wide Open July 26, 2011
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Mouths Wide Open
July 26, 2011


Greetings Friends of the Farm,

The Vermont thermometer, facing the air-conditioned glass of the kitchen window, reads 100. That high number must be shocking to a thermometer that immigrated from the northeast of the country.



But that is a cool spot on this Texas farm. Reality is the Springfield(MO? Hot too!) thermometer that sits close to the back field, on the soil, tilted sun-wards, leaning against the empty rain gauge. It says 117 degrees until the afternoon, when the mercury zooms up to the gadget’s capacity: 125 degrees. No one knows how hot it really is as the glass bulb has its limit....

125 degrees. That is reality on the ground, in the sun, where the plants live.



The Bermuda grass lawn has been brown three times this year. In February, the
79-hour freeze gave it an extra winter burn. Then twice, after the only two rains in the last eight months evaporated, it turned from a temporary greenish hue to buff. Of course, even if I am wishing for its total demise, I know it will somehow survive this most horrendous drought and heat wave -- the worst in my memory.

But farming must go on. Facing both realities, we are working-on-the-chain-gang early this morning, chopping and digging the Bermuda out of beds to make them ready for more plantings. We never get rid of the grass; we just restrict it a bit and hope it does not rejuvenate the minute we irrigate the official crops. In the winter, it is dormant, but of course the roots are still at work. They work as hard as we do. Maybe I should hire them!

But no, I already have superior helpers, who seldom go dormant. The Marias and Andrea work from ~ 7 AM to Noon, harvesting and tending their special crops.


Mother and daughter team, The Marias, baskets in hand, head for the okra...

The interns, Marissa and Austin, and I start work at 6 AM, to get as much done as possible before 1 PM, when we retreat (mouths wide open) to the air-conditioned farm house for lunch. After that, we are well-done for the day. The young farmers go home in a rather soiled state to cool, cleansing showers, and after my shower, there is office work for me, until mid afternoon.


Sowing yellow squash in the prepared beds....

Then I hear the hens clamoring to exit the Hen House and its Run. Succeeding in getting my guilty attention, and a release from chicken purgatory, they head rapidly for any spot that has some cool water or mud. Seeking shade, they press their tummies to damp soil.


The hens, relaxing in their day spa...

During this horrific heat, their mouths are perpetually wide open as they pant; their wings lift slightly to catch any breeze.

Toesy, left, demonstrates the open mouth technique; Babette, right, lifts her wings stylishly...

It’s a very strange year. I feel like we should get ready “for fall,” but the calendar doesn’t confirm this yet. The sowing of seeds of kale and broccoli is on hold, for a few weeks at least. So as we plant our last successions of summer crops (okra, eggplant, green beans, squash, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes), we are merely planning where we will have open land for the next season.

After all, it is only July.

Carol Ann
PS: Indeed, these are troubling times for farmers and those who eat from the farms. We hope, earnestly, that the drought will be broken, but not with floods. Thank you for staying with us, and all the farmers.We appreciate you so much.

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