Farm & Garden
Andrew Woodruff emerged from a tangle of tomato vines in the Thimble Farm greenhouse last Sunday morning, carrying the first ripe tomato of the season.
“I don’t know who to give it to,” Mr. Woodruff smiled. Standing in front of him were Sarah McKay, president of the Island Grown Initiative, Eric Grubman, the former owner of the property and Allan and Shelley Holt, who recently donated money to help IGI buy the farm and keep it in active food production for future generations.
Mr. Woodruff placed the red fruit in Mr. Holt’s hand.
My dogs are sissies! Last week we had those few incredibly hot and humid days. Need I say that those of us who work outside were pretty sour by day’s end. Knowing I would be miserable by evening, I put on the air conditioner in the morning. The two dogs — one a four-year-old rescue and the other extremely elderly — enjoyed the cool house all day long.
The first cut of hay was two weeks early, garlic is already being harvested across the Island and strawberries are likely to be done before it’s time for a July 4 pie.
All across the Island, farmers are reporting crops sprouting earlier than usual this year, a fact they attribute to a mild winter and erratic but relatively warm weather ever since.
It’s hard to decide. Am I a very resourceful citizen or simply a reality-show hoarder? I am loath to toss anything that could have a future use.
I do my best planning in the middle of the night, since I tend to wake up way too early. I read or schedule my day ahead in my mind. The problem is when I try to get out of bed, the body betrays me. We’re talking stiff and sore here. Wouldn’t I be something if I could accomplish even half of my goals? This is what they mean by youth is wasted on the young. Oh well, there is no choice but to soldier on!
I live with my 97-year-old grandmother Rena in the farmhouse she bought with my grandfather in 1963, as a place for them to retire.