Humble Pie Farm

Oh my goodness the rain. 

Last night we read this blog post by Jack Hedin of Featherstone Farm in Southeastern Minnesota. He says "...what has slowly become clear in my own mind over the past month or so: “This is the worst year, ever, at Featherstone Farm.” Of course that's awful to hear from any fellow farmer. It was also a relief to read that other farmers not in the first year on their land are experiencing a hard year. And once you say or hear something said out loud, it helps. Give it a name. 

It is an exceptionally hard year, weather-wise, to farm. So so much water is not good for cultivated flowers or veggies. Many of the veggie farmers we know have staggering cases of black rot in their fall crops, a very serious bacterial disease from too much water. They'll likely lose much of it. We think about "what if" we'd been at Gardens of Eagan farming all those fall brassicas this year. Yikes.

On our farm, we have flowers plants rotting from the ground up that we've never see happen before. 

The planting successions that were planted in August and early September have sat in the ground, growing very slowly because they need sun to make food.

The flowers are blown over very easily in the strong winds because their roots can't hold on in the over-saturated soil. 

Case in point - Wednesday morning vs. Thursday morning after more rain and high wind

 

It's a perfect storm.

So we've ended our season earlier than we'd hoped. Jennifer working off-farm has made our farm season and family life more difficult, but we're really grateful for that steady paycheck coming in.

And we'll plan and hope for next year.

I'm sharing this because I think sometimes it's hard to understand the seriousness of the situation. Climate change and the resulting erratic and extreme weather really affects "small" farmers. And industrial agriculture is a big contributor to climate change.

Food farmers don't get government subsidies or crop insurance (for the most part). Go figure. So we take the hit when we lose whole crops. The thing about diversification is that if one or two crops fail, inevitably, three or four don't. But in a year like this, three or four or many fail and pretty soon you're at 50% of your expected income. It's really hard to pay 50% of the mortgage. And it's hard to suck it up and try it again next year. Or possibly not possible to continue because you have a mortgage and a family and health insurance and you can't continue not making money.

It's more important than ever to choose buy and support local food and flowers as much as possible. This is when it really matters. Every bit helps keep your local farmers farming during times like this.

 

Perennial clover living mulch is the healthiest happiest plant on our farm. I keep joking that we're going to send mini-bouquets to the stores. Local fairy clover bouquets are the hottest new thing!

I try not to compare organic farming practice to conventional. We're all doing the best we can. But if you look at the bare soil running off in rivulets in between the GMO corn rows next door, and our thriving ground covered in beautiful sweet-smelling clover as the rain pounds down on both, it's hard to deny that organic farming practices help with soil erosion and ultimately, health.

Pretty skies around here.

We're getting a few water-laden, slightly corn beetle chomped dahlias. Nothing like the truckloads of the flower farmers we admire. But they're still pretty. We'll include some in our CSA bouquets in the next two weeks.

I ran to get my phone when I saw Sarma and Earl walking down to the field togther, but they were pretty far when I finally got the photo. They're so sweet, just talking away about stuff. Sarma is very patient with Earl and his constant endeavors on our farm, and he loves her. It's her last day today. She's going to start a tutoring job tomorrow in the Minneapolis school district. Lucky students. We sure will miss her. Not just working with us, but showing up in our kitchen each morning with a smile. She said she would come back next year and we're holding her to it.

Hugs from us to you and yours. 

J,M+E