The crew rises in the dark. By 6 am, we're in a team meeting, then into the field — ice in the water coolers, popsicles for hydration and morale, animals watered, Jeff on the tractor. The team that sweats together stays together.
Today is Monday of Fourth of July week, and we're harvesting garlic. We always aim to plan around what's best for the plant and our people — but the garlic was ready whether we were or not. It needs to come out now so it can cure and develop the skin that makes it storable. Last week, we were dodging raindrops for other time-critical work: planting, seeding, and cultivating. So, a warm week it is.
This Saturday is the Fourth of July, and like most holidays on a working farm — Memorial Day, Labor Day — it will look a lot like today. The heat index is forecast to top 100°, which means early mornings, extra water breaks, and gratitude for any breeze that finds us. It's not a complaint. It's just the nature of farm work, and we know this work matters.
Living things don't take holidays. The lettuce doesn't know it's a long weekend. The animals need fresh water on the same schedule as always. Next week's vegetables — we see you, zucchini — won't wait. And so our team shows up quietly, without fanfare, on the days when many people are lighting sparklers and firing up the grill.
Somewhere, someone is in a field. That's true for the food on your table this Saturday, and it's true on our farm too. We're grateful for a team that shows up — in the heat, on the holidays, every time.
Happy Fourth of July!
