Spring, Summer, Autumn what is Mother Nature up to???

Think back to not that long ago, March, three months in fact. Rain, rain, rain and more rain. Then the flood waters came thankfully not the flood waters of biblical proportions but enough to set our region back on its’ heels. Enough to set the farmers behind a month in their planting cycles. Enough to allow time for other projects to become a higher priority while we waited for the water to recede and the soil to dry and the earth to warm.  Enough that we have seen the farmers markets a little bit emptier, the baskets a little bit liter as we start off a little bit softer this year.  A couple of weeks ago a major hail storm hit the Hudson Valley Region, luckily for us the hail was north in the valley, not so lucky the farmers whose farms were significantly damaged by the storm.  Last week the ovens of all creation were turned on to full throttle and we watched as the plants withered and wilted from the heat as the seed heads rose majestically above the plants, bolting we call it in our version of farmville.   Last night the moon was so full and the air temperature was steadily dropping – almost cold enough that the thought of frost crept into the fringes of my mind.   I think to myself what will this bring and watch as the morning dawns.  Put on a sweatshirt, watch the potato plants shimmy off the night time dew and stretch for the sun.  See the new seeds fall from the hands that feed us into the rich fertile soil, watch as the soil gently covers the seeds with a light blanket.   Breathe and sigh with anticipation and relief of the coming harvest and begin the days work anew.   So while we have a slow start due to the rainy days of March we all look forward to the bountiful harvest coming on as the cucumbers and squashes begin to vine out, the beans are planted and the tomatoes and peppers get ready to start setting blossoms for the bees to pollinate and the farm gets ready to burst into full throttle of growing for the coming harvest.