• Home
  • Furrow Archives (2009-2010)
  • Farmbedded Archives (2008)
  • Photos
THE FURROW: The online newsletter of Howell Living History Farm

July Heat

7/17/2012

0 Comments

 
The hoses are out in the Howell Farm barnyard, as volunteers water down the vegetables in the kitchen garden. The temperature is supposed to reach 100 degrees today, followed by a 98 degree day tomorrow.

Dry conditions persist, despite half an inch of rain on Sunday that came during a sudden deluge. Fortunately, the heat is supposed to break on Wednesday night, followed by a rainstorm and at least two days of cooler weather.

I learned two summers ago -- which was the driest New Jersey summer in at least 40 years -- that dry conditions can definitely change the taste of certain fruits and vegetables, and sometimes for the better. The tomatoes that summer were the best I'd ever tasted. A farmer explained the likely reason:During times of water stress, the sugars in fruits and vegetables become concentrated, leading to stronger more full-bodied flavors.

For other crops, however, heat and dryness can mean early bolting, reduced yields or even crop failure. There's no way to irrigate the corn crop at Howell Farm, and the yield will almost certainly suffer if we don't get some rain.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    About

    The Furrow is the online newsletter of The Friends of Howell Living History Farm. We will be updating this site about once a week with crop reports and other insights into life on a horse-drawn living history farm.

    Howell Farm is owned by Mercer County and operated by the Mercer County Park Commission.

    Funding for the Howell Living History Farm Furrow is made possible in part by an operating grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State. 

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    January 2011

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.