August: Texas Drought & CSA Risk #4

August 19, 2011
Dear 2011 CSA Members,

As the searing heat and drought continue, many of the fall crops are struggling to stay alive. And the disheartening thing is that it looks like there is no end in sight through the end of August. We finished weeding all of the sweet potatoes and they are doing good. We just finished applying a second organic fertilizer to the sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, okra, and basil. We finished planting the fall green beans and purple hull peas in the field. We also weeded the eight 260 foot rows of okra and it looks good----should be producing by the first part of September. The cantaloupe are not producing nearly the number of melons that they should be because of the heat--we have been 108-110 for several days now. The watermelons have some smaller melons on them, but not sure if they can mature in this heat---we fertilized them with the organic powdered fertilizer last week.

The second crop of squash is just barely producing with the heat----we may have enough for one CSA. We will pick today and if there is enough for one CSA we will bring it in a large white cooler for the East Dallas CSA. Normally we pick squash 3 times each week and should have tons of squash as we have seven 260 foot rows of squash in the field.

So we will have onions this week----2 baskets of onions per person-----and squash for the East Dallas CSA if there is sufficient to bring.

We still have water in our ponds, but need rain soon because the water level drops every day and we are becoming very concerned that the water will run out if we don't get rain soon.

We are having to sell most of our cattle this Saturday--our son Joed will take them to the sale this Saturday as he is home on break between the summer and fall semesters of college. We can't afford to continue feeding them the outrageously expensive hay. Will keep 6-7 bred cows and the registered Black Angus bull.

The 2 acres of blueberry bushes are pretty much dead----we don't have sufficient water for them and all of the fall crops. The bushes were 4 years old and just beginning to produce a lot of berries. We will have to start over again once it begins to rain.

We continue planting, weeding, and irrigating in faith that the rain and cooler temps will come in time for a bountiful fall harvest.

Please feel free to come out and visit the farm and see all of the crops in the field (waiting for rain and cooler temps). We think if it important for you to actually see where your food is grown.

See Y'all Tomorrow,
Gene