Life on an organic farm is... growing up poles and growing on ropes.

The unfortunate break down of the rototiller has left us to vigurously weed down the rows of tomatoes with action hoes. The weeds had overstayed their welcome and grown beyond the size of the tomato plants. Since those plants have begun to start popping out little green tomatoes, it's time to twine a rope close to the plant, through the poles (which we posted shortly after we transplanted, one pole after every three tomatoes). Two or three more rope layers will be added ontop of these new ones as the season continues, before the tomatoes can be harvested, giving them a place to rest their stems and leaves on.

Before the rope was weaved through the poles down the row, the "suckers" needed to be cut off of each plant. Suckers are stems growing out of the lower section of the main stem. They won't produce fruit and need to be cut out so that air flow increases to the upper section of the plant, and so that the tomato can put more energy into it's fruit than extra stems.

Pole beans have begun to wrap around their poles, rightfully representing their name, and nicely decorate the large stick supporting them.

It's both exciting and rewarding to witness the fruits of your labor, so to speak. It's interesting for me now, to go into a grocery store, especially large chain stores, and look at the vegetables. Tomatoes flock the shelves all year round, even though they're not in bloom yet, at least anywhere around here. Asparagus looks like it's been harvested too late (their crowns are too big). There are so many things I'm noticing now that I normally wouldn't have paid attention too. I'm realizing more and more how important it is to truly live in the season your in; fully appericate what's grown in your region, and eat it when it's fresh and thriving. Try focusing on what's in season now, try to buy what's growing by your area, say within 100 miles or so, and I garuentee you'll love the taste. :) It's hard too all the time of course, I'd die having to wait all winter for a piece of fruit. But I got a taste of a raspberry today as we began to pick them, and boy did it taste good, and I can't wait til the rest are ready!