The heat returns

Hannah Alden, Reporter, The Record-Review This week’s weather definitely feels like summer! With highs in the upper 80s, I’m starting to feel like we didn’t have a long enough transition from winter to summer.

For vegetable farmers with plants that go from small trays to bigger pots before being put in the ground, there’s a period of time when the transplants have to get acclimated to the outside environment before being planted out. We often refer to this phase as “hardening off,” where the tender plants get accustomed to direct sun and wind.

The majority of my plants have been hardened off for weeks now, especially after we got our high tunnel up, which serves as a happy medium for them. They’re not totally unprotected in there, but it can get hot and breezy. As for myself, however, I don’t feel totally ready for this jump right into midsummer temperatures and humidity. It’s a process just getting my body back into the daily grind of farming and the heat can exasperate it further.

I know some people love going from winter coats and boots straight to shorts and sandals, but I prefer a gradual lean into summer. My ideal climate is 60-70 degrees with occasional hot days perfect for a trip to the beach as well as rainy, slow days mixed in. I appreciate the seasonal changes and long for the days when we had more weeks of spring and fall rather than a harsh change from one extreme to the other.

I was happy for the summery weather over the weekend while I spent a day at the lake up north with my family. Even though there is a lot to do at the farm, I knew I needed to prioritize a bit of time for some relaxation and fun. (I did spend some of the time thinking about my plants back home, but tried to keep my concerns to a minimum. Luckily, when we returned, all was well.)

Moving into this week, my focus is turning to the warm-weather crops like tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers that need to get into the ground. It’s wild to think in a week or two, almost everything will be planted out (except for succession crops like lettuce and brassicas, which will continue to be on the list for a while). Then, if we ever get some good rain, my June days will be spent battling weeds.

While on the phone with a close friend earlier this week, she asked if I was prioritizing my other interests and activities besides farming. She farmed for years before shifting toward other realms and mentored me at my first farm job, so she knows my work patterns and what farm life entails. I was pleasantly surprised by the question, because it made me realize that I need to keep that mindset of taking a break and enjoying other things a central priority. That’s something I believe goes for any career or lifestyle — everyone needs to take a step back every once in a while to experience something new or rekindle parts of them that move aside while they’re wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of daily life.