When you think it almost couldn’t get any worse, this week has proved make sure you are at rock bottom before you start looking up!
On a positive note, the weather has been fantastic, as a person without a farm I would be celebrating having a summer. The reality from a food growing perspective is a little different though, we are heading into the end of 2 months with very little rain, our weather station is reading a large moisture deficit. Here in Galway, this is or was once a very unusual occurrence. You know those once in a lifetime climate events they used to talk about, that now happen all the time!
So out came the water tanker this week. Our crops are really struggling we have disease and drought stress across the crops. We purchased the water tanker after the serious drought of 2018, and while conditions so far are not as bad as they were then, they are pretty bad, so the tanker is out and we are watering, we have to water as the soil resembles more of a desert that a farm in Galway.
We have also taken out our old sprayer, and as luck would have it, both machines broke down. The sprayer is important as the dry soil mean very little water is going into the veggies which means they are not getting nutrients and as a result they are suffering both from lack of water and lack of food.
For the first time that I can remember we have aphid (Green fly) infestations in our brassicas. So, we have been scrambling around, we have bought a new sprayer, and we hope to have the water tanker operational again. So yesterday we were out spraying seaweed and a liquid nutrition boost (made from plants) and micronutrients also, and finally an herbal tonic to boost the immune system of the plants. Fingers crossed it helps.
The long-term forecast is for a dry August, that will be month three of little rain, so we must get on with the time-consuming job of spraying and watering. We are lucky though here in Galway we have access to water and there are no fires.
Spare a thought for all those in France and Spain and across the world that are burning and suffering the worst impacts of the climate breaking down. Meanwhile the Fossil fuel companies are rubbing their hands together as they no doubt make record profits again from the high price of oil. They are responsible for our planet burning. Man made climate change is our reality now, and it is happening all around us, every single year.
I see it here with my own eyes.
Having said that, we are doing all we can in our little corner of the world, and there are many people like us and your support is a vote for a cleaner greener future.
Anyway, back to watering and spraying and harvesting. Your support especially during the summer keeps us going and growing, so, thank you.
Kenneth
PS We have finalised the lineup for our sustainability festival in September and it promises to be an amazing day, if you haven’t gotten your ticket yet, please click here to get yours now. This is a not-for-profit event.
PPS We have at last the first new Irish organic potatoes from Cameron at Battlemountain farm and we are so excited, check them out here. His crops are also suffering from drought, so they are later than usual and smaller than usual, but they are here now.