Don Maroc
on Vancouver Island, sustaining life through natural-as-possible farming
and a bit of off-farm income (you're right Greg, it ain't easy but it's
satisfying)
It's been a slow and aggonizing start on southern Vancouver Island this
year, we are just now getting our first hot summer weather but the crops,
especially in the greenhouses, have jumped into high gear. We're picking
raspberries, more volume than quality because of the cool, grey weather,
and a neighbour is selling buckets of black currants to the home jam
makers. The bees are working hard on the blackberry blossoms. The fruit
set on the apples, pears, and plums was very good but all vegetables are a
month behind. Ah well, the pantry's still half full from last year's
bumper crops. Oh, I forgot, the garlic (mostly that stiff-stemmed German
variety) is as good as it gets and we'll start havesting next week. I've
been thinning out some of the best to sell as seed and must say it enjoyed
the cool, wet weather. The spuds are also luxurious but I'm holding my
breath, they looked the same two years ago just before the late blight hit
and we lost half the crop.
By the way, the Women's Institutes in British Columbia (Canada), are
gearing up this summer to start an all-out war with the global biochemical
industry this fall. They're being coached by the UK Women's Institutes who
appear to be rather successful.
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