Dear God:
Today, I am thankful for a farmer's faith.
I'd rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world.
~George Washington
I sigh heavily as I inspect my five cherry tomato plants for damage from the recent hail and rainstorms. Sadly, I find several broken branches still bearing yellow blossoms and scores of green fruit. What a pity.
During June, when temperatures soared towards 100 degrees F, I anticipated a bumper crop. But, July and August were unseasonably cool and wet so the fruit ripened ever so slowly. Now, with cool fall-like temperatures especially at night, I'm not sure the tomatoes will ripen on the vine.
I now realize that I could never be a serious farmer. I understand first hand how difficult it is to recover from a poor growing season. Furthermore, I'm not sure I have enough faith to let the weather determine my ability to earn a living. I wish I did. I think that growing food is a noble profession. In fact, based on my single stint as a tomato grower, growing food is an amazing spiritual journey.
I'm not giving up altogether. Next year, I plan to grow chili peppers, lettuce, herbs, assorted berries and, of course, more cherry tomatoes. One never knows when Mother Nature will decide to give our region an ideal growing season.
In the meantime, I'm trying to salvage this year's crop. Fried green cherry tomatoes, anyone?
For this blessing, I am grateful.
Amen.
Photo: One of my cherry tomato plants during happier times.
No comments:
Post a Comment