Living on a Dry Farm

We went another two weeks without rain. Luckily with a little help from my dad I was able to get the irrigation running again. However, right before we got out some rain my water started acting up, first pulsating, then coming in bursts and finally not coming at all. I called the municipality and after a visit from the plumber, I’m hoping all is well. Modern day farming depends so heavily on water. Irrigation has become so commonplace that it is expected by customers, whether or not they are even aware of it. My current garden style is dependent on regular rains or weekly irrigation. Lack of consistent water leads to cracking on tomatoes, blossom end rot, and radishes that split open from growing too fast. Beans will curl up into short little seed cases without any crunch. I farmed without irrigation for years and yet suddenly when I was faced without access to water I started to panic. I wouldn’t be able to water my microgreens, or anything else in the greenhouse. Not to mention the saddest dribbling shower I ever had to take (and the frustration of barely being able to fill the tea kettle).

I can only irrigate so much anyways. Since I move my water by tanks and pump it on the field. But I was suddenly reminded of my childhood on the very same farm. Despite having two wells and a pond, sometimes they all ran dry. We kept a tank of water on the counter, but it didn’t taste good and smelled of plastic. When things were really dry we showered at my aunt’s house. In university I always did my laundry before coming home and I remember only ever being able to fill the bathtub up a couple of inches. Years later I had a customer exclaim in shock when they heard I didn’t irrigate, but the value of water had been driven into me as a child. I was made wildly aware that it was a precious resource, not meant to be wasted. I will continue to irrigate my crops in the limited way, but my future plan includes continuing methods of rain fed farming as much as possible.