The Miracle of Rain

November 30, 2019 | Author: Monty Crisp

It’s always amazed me when weather announcers on TV or radio almost uniformly apologize when forecasting upcoming rain. As if rain is going to irrevocably ruin the next days’ activities or permanently scar kids’ psychics when an outdoor sport is impacted or postponed. Oh, my weekend plans are disrupted.

News flash. Without rain, there is no life. No plants, no animals, no food, no drink, no you, no me. Just refer to reports of one of many space probes or deep space telescopes that are looking for life in our solar system, and beyond. Planets and moons are being sampled for signs of life, and a key is searching for water crystals. Without water, no life exists…at least, life as we know it.

I welcome the sound of the rain falling outside our farm barn, from where I am writing this blog. It is music to my ears. Maybe because of the outdoorsman in me. All the greenery we have is directly related to nourishment and the greatest of these is water. From the majestic Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, and  Spruce Pine to the lowly grass and groundcover. Also because of the farmer in me. These strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries wither without water. We found this out a few months ago. Even the apple, pear, plum, cherry, and peach trees suffer during the dry summer months. Some areas of the world are in perennial drought conditions. Devastating!

One of our greatest farm chores is irrigating the rows, to keep the plants not only alive but producing. We can’t water the entire farm at once. Only about 4 rows at a time. Between the berries and fruit trees, the farm has about 30 rows.  So it takes 7-8 cycles of irrigation to cover the entire farm. It’s work to keep changing sprinklers. And this doesn’t include watering the tree groves, lawns, and shrubs. It’s quite the operation. A small glimpse of the effort can be seen from those of you trying to keep suburban lawns green.

Alas, a cloud opens, as is happening now, and the entire farm is watered in an hour. All the rain needed for thirsty plants of all types, sizes, and shapes. Ok, I would prefer if the rains came in a timely and frequent manner, but we accept what we are given.  I cannot understand the logic of an apology from a weather announcer or anyone else for rain. Instead, we should be thrilled, delighted, and thankful. Even if it disrupts weekend plans.

Rainfall is amazing! It is a miracle! It is a time-saver. It also gives me this time to visit with you.

Thanks for reading.

Monty

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Hurricane Season – Part 2

October 28, 2019 | Author: Monty Crisp

Sometimes we humans aren’t too smart. We don’t use our God-given intelligence.  In the 21st century, with satellite technology and weather sensors, we see a hurricane forming, building, and strengthening, and can easily track direction and progress. As the hurricane grows nearer, we are forewarned to leave an area. Sometimes we are ordered to evacuate. It’s mandatory. Often local, state, or federal governments assist with transport and even help financially. So why do so many ignore the storm warning, even when a mandatory evacuation, and stay behind? Having responded to several large disasters over the years, here are a few of the reasons I have heard:

a)      “I want to protect my property from looting. I don’t trust the authorities to do so.”

b)      “I will not leave my animals behind.” This is huge, and in which I work professionally with farmers and ranchers in BC usually related to wildfires.  It also includes pets.

c)       I am willing ride it out. “I have heard the government ‘cry wolf’ too many times. When I did leave, nothing happened. So this time, I am not leaving.”

d)      Riding out this storm will be a story I can tell others. I have actually met people who enter a disaster zone to experience it.

e)      “I have prepared myself and my property and will be safe.”

The difficulty is that if any of the above go awry, the media will focus on those trapped individuals, without any explanation of the reason why they did not evacuate. We have all seen this on the evening news.  The government is obligated to attempt a rescue. This is done by First Responders, who in turn put their lives in danger. I find it outrageous and inexcusable.  The  person should have to pay restitution, but how do we set a price on someone’s life being put at risk?  All this, for a person who, as I mentioned, sees a disaster looming but who is unwilling to get out of the way. Someone who isn’t too intelligent.  Maybe the gene pool does need a bit of chlorine.

Thanks for reading.

Monty

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Hurricane Season – Part 1

September 29, 2019 | Author: Monty Crisp

Although now living in British Columbia, some of you are aware that I grew up in South Carolina. The areas are as different as chalk and cheese. One of these is the weather and what influences it.    Here we have the Japanese current, bringing relative warmth to our part of the southern Canadian Pacific coastline. In South Carolina, we are impacted by the tropical Atlantic current, and this includes hurricanes that are birthed from warm equatorial waters near Africa and travel west toward the Americas.

The result is wind and rain.  Lots of both. And the hurricane is heading toward the high population centers, typically located along the coastlines. Sometimes beyond the coastlines. An example is the Carolinas, Georgia, and north Florida, which have ‘barrier islands’ off the coastline. These islands do exactly as expected – they create a barrier to protect the coast. But they no longer serve a purpose since bridges have been built and now residences, read tony and expensive,  have been built and are incredibly exposed to the Atlantic storms.

As you may be aware, hurricanes are rated by ‘Categories’ from 1 to 5, with a Cat 5 being the strongest winds. Astonishingly destructive winds. But the Category rating is deceptive, because it does not include flooding. High water is arguably more destructive than wind because it often happens over a huge swath of land.  For instance, some of the barrier islands have an elevation less than 10 feet, and can be completely submerged during a hurricane.

As the ‘cane approaches an island, the fury of wind and rain is unloaded as it crosses. A 2019 example is Hurricane Dorian and the Bahamas.   The storm doesn’t even slow down, and may increase in intensity due to shallower, warmer water. Then, as the hurricane makes coastal landfall, its strength usually reduces because of the ‘energy source’ of water is less available. A Category 5 or 4 will quickly become a Cat 2 or 1. But the population is far from safe for two reasons.

A large hurricane can push immense volumes of water toward the coast, raising the sea level and causing massive flooding, especially if tides are also high. It’s commonly called a ‘storm surge’. Secondly, hurricanes often ‘stall’ when reaching land, and travel at a crawl.  Although winds may reduce, torrential rains continue — sometimes day after day.  The flood damage along coastal cities from ‘tropical storms’ is often greater than that of the hurricane — that at least travel more rapidly.   Property damage can be catastrophic, totaling into the billions of dollars. And this doesn’t include the human cost, which I will cover in my next blog.

Thanks for reading.

Monty

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The Satisfying Busyness of Farming

August 26, 2019 | Author: Monty Crisp

Farm life is busy life. Always something to do. As with any activity that becomes consuming, the hours go by quickly. The days seem even more so. But it is a good kind of busy. Here on Rosemeade Farm, a berry and fruit U-Pick, we have 5 acres and is half in ‘production’. A couple of acres should be doable, you may say. But the land is fertile, and usually crops are plentiful. Of course, there is seasonality to the work, but always something going on. Repairs and catching up in winter. In spring, summer, and fall days, I may be planting, watering, weeding, pruning or picking…sometimes all in the same day.  There are always several projects going at the farm at the same time….I will spend time on one, pull myself off for a time (get more material; a problem to ponder; something urgent came up, etc.)    Later I am back and keep plugging away. Eventually there’s the satisfaction of completing it.

However, some jobs are never complete. An example is weeding. Although our farm is not officially organic, we don’t spray to kill those darned, ubiquitous plants. My vote is that the most tedious task on the farm is weeding, especially strawberries, of which we have 17 rows (each approx. 100 ft.) this year. You could say it’s a never-ending task…after finishing, just start over. And this doesn’t include the other berries, fruit trees, or vegetables. The latter is mainly for our own consumption, and is a learning experience. This year, the successes have been snap beans, onions, cucumber, squash, and tomato. The failures are kale, spinach, and broccoli. In 2018 the successes were kale, spinach, and beans…which seem to do well every year! I have given up on corn, and buy it down the road of $1/ear at a stand called Silver Rill. Wendy Fox, the owner, earns more in a weekend than we do in a season!

Our vegetables are hit and miss. As with all of farming, the effort to plant, water, and weed, but with no guaranteed result. I confess to often being too tired after the berries to weed and keep up with the vegetables. Hit and miss is also true with the fruit trees. We have several fruit types, with about half being apples. In 2018 most fruit was laden to the point of limbs breaking.  This year some fruit just didn’t happen. No cherries or peaches, and very few plums and pears. A couple of apple varieties with some fruit but other trees with nothing. The cold spring weather may be the culprit, or fewer bees to pollenate, but my hunch is that the trees are resting…dormant for 2019.  And will come back strong in 2020. Stay tuned!

It isn’t news to anyone that farming is work and full-on busyness, sometimes for a reward; sometimes not. Although a career to which few wish to aspire, it is an essential life for human survival. I have mentioned in past blogs that it’s a genuine life, a wholesome life, a fulfilling life. When reduced to its core, it also is a timeless life – healthier, more satisfying, and less stressful that most.  As a person of faith, I find it meditative (even while weeding!), and honorable. Goodness knows we need more of these qualities in our 21th century world.

Thanks for reading.

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The Blessed Alternative to Irrigation

July 27, 2019 | Author: Monty Crisp

We take a lot of things for granted in this life, especially in our convenient, 21st century society. A society where food somehow miraculously appears before our eyes – whether on the grocery shelf, kitchen counter, drive-thru window, or restaurant table. Many of us, mostly the Gen-Xers and younger, are oblivious to where this amazing supply of food – and choices for today’s eating, and tomorrow’s, and the next day. But I am not here to preach on a theme that is all too common. I blogged a couple of months ago on the topic of food waste, and my attempt to re-distribute day-old bread from a nearby bakery that overproduces an obscene number of loaves and buns.

I am writing this during a break from the farm work due to a surprising summer rainstorm. The first days of July were hot, and our berries – strawberries, raspberries, blackberries – have been taking a toll. Most don’t seem as productive as last year. Theories abound. Late spring, warm weather followed by a cold spell, etc. After all, farmers can always point to the weather for a poor crop — and often the culprit is lack of regular rain.

In the last decades, a revolutionary agricultural development has taken over — irrigation.  Many of you have seen the green crop circles from an airplane. That’s the pattern created by a system called center pivot irrigation. The water enters from the middle and radiates to the field while the arm rotates like a clock.  Many other types exist, all with the goal of getting water on the crop effectively and efficiently.

Irrigation is near to my heart because of my graduate work at Texas A&M (go Aggies!) and internship in Nebraska with Valmont Industries – the world’s largest manufacturer of mechanical irrigation systems. I worked specifically in the ‘water application engineering’ unit. We tested the droplet sizes of various sprinklers, which sounds mundane but was fascinating. Simply put, it’s not the quantity of water that reaches the field; it’s the amount that soaks in and is usable by the plant root. In other words, the goal is to optimize water use and keep flooding and soil erosion to a minimum. It’s a bit complex, because other factors weigh in, such as wind (small droplets are blown further) and the type of soil (clay, sand, or loam.)  I did most of the research in the San Juaquin Valley of California, one of America’s fruit and vegetable breadbaskets. A very enjoyable time.

Far from testing irrigation systems and sprinkler arrays on square miles of vegetable fields near Bakersfield, our 5 acre farm does have a watering system. It is a simple one with about 40 sprinklers, sourced from the district’s water supply. The pressure is such that we can only turn on 4 or 5 sprinklers at once, so we rotate throughout the berry rows and orchard.  It’s a bit of a dance, which sometimes means getting out of bed at 4 or 5AM. And there is the cost of water from the district, so we try to be judicious.

But alas, a shower of rain becomes a show-stopper! No more turning valves on and off. No more midnight walks to the field. No more headshaking from berry rows not evenly watered. Suddenly no more thirsty crops anywhere on the farm. As impressive as is today’s mechanical irrigation technology, the real miracle from our Creator remains a simple shower of rain!

Thanks for reading.

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Warm Days Return to the Farm

June 21, 2019 | Author: Monty Crisp

It has taken a while to arrive, but the days are now sunny and warm. A far cry from 16 inches of snow during late winter. It seems like the melt was only a couple of days ago. Where do the days go!

 

As you know, the further north one travels, the longer is the daylight in summer….and conversely, less daylight in winter.  Very soon this month, we will hit the summer solstice – the longest day of sunshine. It’s light from 4:30PMish until after 10PM.  This results in not only glorious mornings and evenings, but crops that are drenched in the sun’s rays.  The fruit and vegetables are feeling the heat…growing…and ripening. I pick a row of berries in the morning, and in the evening, seems it’s time to pick again.  And we have 17 rows averaging over 100 feet long. Yes, I need back adjustment daily and maybe surgery by season’s end!

 

Ours is a U-pick farm, meaning that the customer does the picking. The penny has finally dropped as to why almost all area farms have stopped U-pick and now pick and market their own. The waste! The expense!

 

As I am writing this, we have berries ready to pick. I would go into the rows…but what if someone drives up in 30 minutes? The berries are in the refrigerator. But if we wait too long to pick, the strawberries become overripe, especially in this week’s sun.  And even if a picker comes, s/he may get a couple of pints, like what happened two days ago. And others just ‘graze’ through several rows, only picking a few, usually the large ones.  So I must go in and ‘clean’ the rows anyway. All this is to say that it is actually easier, quicker, and more profitable to forget the U-pick, and harvest them ourselves. It is more predictable and less wasteful.

 

Of course, the U-pick offers more interaction with the public.  Last weekend three cars arrived and ten strapping young adults came pouring out. A fun group, and I asked if they were a volleyball team. No…most were part of the Canadian national rowing team, which is located on nearby Elk Lake.  And these athletic kids were flexible enough to bend down to the strawberries. I was envious.

 

The owner, Norrie, and I also attempt to keep the farm family-friendly. We have picnic tables, a walking trail, a small lake with fountains and a bridge, hammock, trampoline, etc. It’s set up for families to enjoy. It’s terrific to see the small children have such fun, and enjoy this little piece of the outdoors. Hopefully they will remember this day-trip experience. Who knows where it might lead some of them.

 

So these are the long and lazy days of summer. Except that laziness doesn’t go far. It is work! Planting is only the start. Watering, weeding, and picking are part of every day. But I will rest in this glaring afternoon sun, and hope for strawberry pickers to come soon through the gate. If not, it will be a long evening of picking. But instead of complaining, I will just pick up the hoe or the pail and plod along…all the time considering myself blessed for the opportunity to live in such an idyllic setting.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

Monty

 

 

 

 

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Wastefulness and the West

May 22, 2019 | Author: Monty Crisp

It’s probably not earthshaking news to say that we live in a world full of waste.  With food alone, the stats are out there concluding that what we throw away in developed countries could feed the entire world…and more. Look around you at everything we toss. Daily. Sometimes we simply don’t notice, because it is such a part of our culture. I stand as guilty as anyone.

I see food waste ad-nauseum in my chosen field, the agriculture sector. On the farming side, a fraction can be carved out of every process — seed storing, planting, growing, cultivating, weeding, harvesting, and again, storing and handling. On the wholesaling side, waste in transport, processing and packaging. On the end-user side, additional waste in cooking, consuming, and improper storage. Some of the above is from spoilage, but it’s far from the only culprit.  It’s part consumer convenience, part factory efficiency, part over-production, part laziness.

 

The following is Exhibit A: Our 5 acre berry and fruit farm borders a well-known bakery called Portofino. They produce a couple of dozen different breads and rolls, with scores of outlets in the Victoria area. As I work the rows of strawberries, I see the general garbage related to any industry, including a bakery. A dozen delivery trucks come and go. Almost every afternoon, I witness the drivers returning from their runs, backing up to a full shipping container, opening the door, and dumping trays of bread. Finally I asked one of the workers what was going on. What happens to the bread?  “We throw it away,” was the reply. “Sometimes pig farmers drop by and get some.” “Take all you want.  It’s less work for me.”

 

We are not talking about old, stale, and moldy loaves. I looked at the bread, and most of it did not ‘expire’ for two or three days. And we’re talking about dozens and dozens of loaves – delicious loaves.  Bread that costs $6 each in almost every grocery outlet.  It’s almost the only bread that my daughter will eat.

 

Some of you may recall that I volunteer at a local soup kitchen. As well, our church has a weekly food market that includes a mound of bread.  I occasionally see Portofino, but this seems to be at the whim of the retail store to re-distribute it as ‘day-old’. For some, it’s simply too inconvenient. A new batch of bread is arriving, so get rid of the old. The Portofino drivers have to do something with it. Therefore, into the container it goes, along with hundreds of other loaves from yesterday, and the day before, and the day before….

 

My commitment now is to collect loaves of this fresh bread and re-distribute it — church, friends, colleagues, etc. I even offer it to pickers coming to the farm. It seems to be appreciated, almost as much as the strawberries!  It’s a small step, but is my humble way, maybe it will help eliminate some of the waste that we all witness in our Western culture. And it gives me more awareness to my wastefulness in other areas of my life.  Even at this guy’s ripe old age, maybe there is hope.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

Monty

 

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Unplugged

April 29, 2019 | Author: Monty Crisp

For a few weeks, I have left British Columbia and visiting my home state of South Carolina. Along with reconnecting with family, I am checking on two properties in the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina that have been in our family for decades: our family’s vacation cabin and my cabin, to which I hope to retire (eventually!)

I am writing this from our family cabin, in front of a blaze in the fireplace and listening to basketball on a trusty small radio. Yes, it is as blissful as it sounds.  Why am I not watching TV? Because we have no cable. Why not cruising the internet? Because the cabin has no internet. Yes, this is a strange sensation in the 21st century. No wi-fi, no cable…in fact, because my Canadian cellphone costs $8 per day to use while in the US, I also have no cell phone use. (I have a US phone, but waiting for a SIM card that is still in the mail… It will probably arrive the day I leave back to BC!)

Although blissful, this lack of being ‘plugged in’ is a strange sensation. Like many of you, I regularly use the internet, and my phone even more frequently.  Ok, I am not going to say it’s an addiction, although maybe I am in denial. (I regularly mention this to my two teenagers, whose smartphone is a permanent appendage.) But I admit that not having wi-fi or a cellphone is a major inconvenience.

A good experiment is underway — to see if I can unplug. It is weird that no one can be in touch with me from this cabin, nor can I contact anyone else.  It is as living in the Dark Ages — you know…about 25 years ago. It’s amazing how quickly we in developed countries have both been exposed to the ‘wired world’ but have fully embraced it – lock, stock, and barrel. To the point where social media and information send-and-receive from the mediums of cellphones, laptops, tablets, flat-screens, etc. are no longer options for daily life – they are necessities. Without them, withdrawal symptoms are likely.

I am in that phase now, and why I am writing this. But in a few days, as I become more accustomed to being unplugged, I look forward to feeling liberated!  Alas, I am not totally cut off. Tomorrow morning, I will probably drop into the small library in our small NC mountain village and use their internet to send and receive messages. (My liberation goal will be measured!)

This is also an experiment as to the impact in our developed world if suddenly we were all unplugged – and not just for a day or two….but maybe for a month or two. I have written previously about any number of ways in which the electrical and/or electronic grid that we profoundly depend upon might be interrupted.  It is more than a bit scary. More than an emergency, it would likely become a disaster of epic proportions.

I encourage all of us to go on a diet from our electronic gadgets, even for a day or two days. The results should be surprising.  I think we would all learn a bit about ourselves from it. Despite the outcome, it would be a positive experience. An enlightening one. Maybe even a cleansing one.

Thanks for reading.

Monty

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The Quiet Days of a Canadian Winter

March 28, 2019 | Author: Monty Crisp

It’s winter here on the farm. I suppose it could be categorized as quieter days, more restful days — but this is all relative.  The plants are resting, and so I feel justified to relax a bit more also. This is the lull before the spring push of new growth, blossoms, and fruit.  Yes, daylight is shorter and cooler, so there’s not as much actual fieldwork being done. But there is still plenty to keep me busy, whether outside on mild days or inside on cold days. In British Columbia, Canada, we have both.

It seems most of these days in the fields is spent pruning plants and cleaning deadwood. You might not think this would be a small task, because we only have five acres, and only half of this is being farmed. But a lot of fruit trees can be packed into an acre…and they all need pruning and trimming. This takes literally weeks. Less time consuming is thinning out the many rows of blackberries and raspberries, but this still takes several days. All of this is time-sensitive, and needs to be done before springtime comes.

The other task that I’ve been engaged in is maintenance and repair. You can imagine that there’s always some needs on farm equipment, that get delayed during the rest of the year. “I’ll get around to it eventually.”  Winter is usually that time.   A small sample of the equipment with engines that I have been tinkering with are: rototiller (2), chainsaw (3), weed eater (2), hedge trimmer (2), wood chipper (1), leaf blower (1), and farm tractor. Some of the engines are working fine, and only need a checkup. Others are more stubborn, and need some TLC, or my tool of choice – a big hammer!  Of the list above, to date I have been unsuccessful to crank a: weed eater, chainsaw, and wood chipper.

So this is how I spend these winter days. Yes, it’s more relaxing, as I pour a cup of coffee, turn on the radio, and putter about. It’s also quieter. For instance, I have neither talked to nor seen anyone today. It’s a different lifestyle, because contrary to popular belief, I do like social interaction. I jokingly tell friends in town to come looking if they don’t hear from me for a couple of weeks at a stretch.

I keep reminding myself that this is the calm before the storm — when in a few months, all the plants will be blooming from this rich soil and jumping skyward, baked in the warmth and sunlight of a Canadian spring. Then I will be longing for some of the quiet of these tranquil and relaxing days.

Thanks for reading.

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Snow and more snow

February 28, 2019 | Author: Monty Crisp

We’re snowed in! This isn’t earthshaking news for Canada but in our part of the country, it is. Fifteen inches over three days and most everything has stopped in its tracks. Only essential travel is recommended.  So we have little movement at the end of our dead-end road to the farm.

The dynamics are interesting. Vancouver and Victoria are the ‘sun belt’ cities of Canada. Many of the residents of lower British Columbia are from other parts of the country, and have moved here for the milder climate. A reaction to a foot of snow is mixed – a combination of “I thought I left this weather behind me in Saskatchewan!”….”Well, back in my childhood in Alberta. I never remember a day when school was cancelled.”….”This is great…my kids finally get to enjoy a real Canadian winter.”…”Yeah, school is closed!”

The vista is stunning in every direction. It’s white on white everywhere. The snow is above my gumboots. Unlike my upbringing on a dairy farm, where we had to care for all animals in all weather conditions, including snow, I haven’t any compelling reason to go out. We have rows of berries and grapes, and orchards of fruit trees…they seem content. They are sleeping thru it all, but will arouse and awaken in about a month.  Consider this the lull before the storm for all of us.

However for some, travel is essential. One group consists of those who have medical ailments, with chronic conditions who must get to a hospital, clinic, or pharmacy. I feel for these, because many are elderly or infirmed — the very ones who should stay inside and warm.  Several neighbors near the farm are in this category.

The other group consists of those who are unprepared. I have less sympathy for this group. I am astonished at the number of people who have less than two days of food or other supplies at the ready. Travel to the grocer or drug store then becomes essential. To get a few groceries or toiletries.   How much trouble is it to have the fridge, cupboard, or bathroom cabinet stocked for a week? Probably less than the trouble to get to the store, where stocks may be in short supply anyway.

I am content to remain inside at my desk, look through the window at God’s creation blanketed in white lace, and muse over these events. I am fortunate that our electricity is working, which allows light, heat, and communication. And the water is flowing, for cooking, drinking, and bathing.  If either of these were off, I would not have time to muse. Mostly, I am thankful to be healthy and not struggling on the roads to get to a dialysis or doctor appointment. Mental health is another consideration during cold and snowy days with early dark evenings. I can see how ‘stir craziness’ could set in, shown its various forms. Fortunately, I am not there quite yet.

Consider this another notice of the importance of household emergency preparedness. Two or three days of snow is mild compared to a disastrous event that could really test preparedness levels. An inconvenience could quickly become a catastrophe.  Let’s use the stunning beauty of this wintery week as a gentle reminder.

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