Corduroy Before Rain

That is the description of our newly planted beds yesterday—perfectly straight clean lines of parsnip seeds unseen beneath a sheath of lovely dirt with looming rain clouds above. We have had the lucky fortune this last week of intermittent rain, allowing for ideal planting conditions in the field, both transplanting by hand and direct seeding by tractor. When we direct seed by tractor, the striking design left on the field reminds us of our favorite corduroy pants.

As we head into the middle of May, we have four plantings in the field and four rotations in the greenhouse, and this is a comforting feeling as it is halfway into our planting season. It is always hard to believe we already have so much food in the ground, and yet we have only harvested two crops for the 2020 season thus far. We still have well over 50 to harvest this season, but there is so much comfort knowing we have accomplished 8–9 plantings.

The Mother’s Day weekend was sunny and mid 70’s, and with it, there were many people out on the river on their boats and jet skis. Midday, I spotted a bear running across our fields from the north end of the river where people will show up, to the south end where there is a heavily forested area. I felt bad, as though all the humans had come out and now the bears were seeking more remote, safer territory.

The quiet, shelter-in-place days have definitely afforded much more wilderness roaming. As the summer days are upon us and people are needing to get out in fresh air, hopefully in a socially distanced, responsible way, we need to remember to respect all of our wild friends and continue to protect their wild spaces.