The Harvest......part #1

Potatoes.....

The harvesting began last week.

It hasn't been a year without problems...in fact....The Farmer said, that about everything that could possibly go wrong....went wrong. Water shortage....broken equipment you name it. Often

"farming karma" doesn't bless you two years in a row, and that was the case this year. But we are grateful that there are SOME potatoes to harvest...

........we had just hoped that there would be a few more;)

The days have been long and hot.....and HUMID!

It is hard work to gather the potatoes as they are pulled out of the ground by the tractors....

The Farmer purchased a consession trailer while we were in Utah and turned it into a mobile

potato lab. He REALLY likes that potato lab! As the potatoes are harvested they are tested for starch levels, viruses, and checked for damage or any type of rot. In order to test, the

potatoes have to be fried. So fresh chips are made in the fields all day long. The Farmer carries...in his truck....salt, lemon and Valentina chile, so that he too can make sure the potatoes are in good condition! It makes a trip to the fields a little more enjoyable.

Every evening the clouds gather, and are beautiful!

The contrast of the blue sky and the fluffy white clouds is amazing!

We have enjoyed evening thunderstoms the last several weeks, it has been a treat.

It is such a beautiful time of year, we are enjoying the "fruits" of the harvest literally.

Our meals are loaded with peaches....apples...and anything else that may be growing at the moment! I do love summer!

A side note.....

Very close to one of the potato fields....is The "Lake" Ranch.

It belonged to The Farmer's Father.

It now belongs to one of The Farmer's brothers, and a times he is kind enough to allow

The Boy keep his horses there. It is a pretty ranch....especially at this time of year!

"A Well Oiled Machine"

Months and months of planning have gone into this moment.....

the planting of the potatoes.

The day was warm. Under a bright blue sky, the tractors moved like a

"well oiled machine."

(that is a direct quote from Unlce Pingo)

The last several days have been full of problems with equipment not working correctly,

hot days,

planting all night long....

but finally it all came together.

As the planter moved up and down the rows, the men.... who were making sure the

seed potatoes didn't get caught in planter......

sang a few songs....very loudly;) That made the planting a little more enjoyable.

For me anyway!

Uncle Pingo told me that one of the workers had performed a special ritual on the field.

Something that had to do with breaking glass and an egg???

Anyway, it will insure a plentiful crop this year, without major problems.

He assured that all of the "witches had been worked out."

I thought that was pretty great....and I am wondering if he can stop by and do the same thing for The Darlings....

The "seed" potatoes aren't too pretty. They are certainly not something that you would want to eat. They have been sitting for months in temperature controlled rooms, preparing to be planted. Each potato falls into a little slot in the planter, and is carried down a conveyor until it is dropped into the ground and then covered with dirt.



This picture makes me smile;) (above)

That Farmer of mine....he said this post should be titled "king of the world"

(remember Titanic...the movie???)

or of the potato world....anyway....I love it when he is happy about farming, and when there are no bugs, or sick plants....or everything else hard that goes with farming. This is the best time of the year for a farmer....nothing majorly bad has happened yet.....

and so he is happy and most of all hopeful! I love that!
Next....

When the planting is finished, the watering begins....

Spring is fantastic this year.....

The light is beautiful, the flowers seem to be blooming better than usual....

Things are blooming that have not produced a flower.....for years.....

I am not sure if Winter seemed extra long this year....

or if Spring is just extra beautiful this year!

*When I arrived home from the farm today I found a note on the counter that said...

"Dear Mom,

I went spear fishing with Cousin Ben,

and Andre....

Be back soon!

The Boy"

Just another day in the life of The Boy!