Bring out the reinforcements

There is so much going on this time of year.  We have more than doubled the area we are growing compared to last, and there just is too much to do.  Helping hands with the MAC kids, our garden clubs who really do pitch in an work (not just learn) are all essential if we are going to be successful this year.

Yesterday we brought out the "Calvary".  Jason Wood, this kid who is rapidly becoming a good friend was out with help to get our pumpkins and melons started.  Jason is my guy with supplying me with corn for my furnace and he also dug the trenches for our rain garden project last week.  He is also the one who grows the field corn and will plant our sweet corn this year.  I really can't do very much without him.

Anyways, Josh wanted to plant the the melons outside of the enclosed garden area.  They spread out and take up so much space and we do not need to protect them from deer the way we need to with other vegetables.  So instead of one tractor we had four.  We deep tilled, disked the soil and had to bush hog the ground before we got started.   It is remarkable how farmers help one another.  Lawyers and politicians should learn how to work together the way farmers do.  Bottom line; if all goes well we will have 5 times the number of watermelons as last year and a bunch of pumpkins for our Fall fest.  Having said that the reality is that farming comes with no guarantees.  As much work as we are putting in we are still dependent on the weather and subject to insects and disease.

As as newcomer to all of this I have yet to experience the disappointment of a lost crop,  food and income.  Farming is a labor of love.  With so much effort and anticipation I am beginning to realize the sense of loss when nature turns against you.  Mountainside is not dependent on a successful crop the way most farmers are but we start the season with hope and roll the dice like everyone else.
The Greenhouse is the only area that we truly can control and the tomatoes are kicking it.  But the area is so small compared to the acres of crops everywhere else.