OK, I know that's cheating. It's harvest time, not bloom time. In my defense I wasn't blogging during bloom and these kind of pictures are too pretty to save until next winter. I'll post a harvest picture in a week or two.

We should start shaking trees by the end of the week.

It's been a quite week on the farm. Just getting the orchards ready and keeping the cotton wet. The weather has been perfect. Cool in the morning and not too hot in the afternoon. We couldn't ask for better.

One teensy, weensy frustration- Thursday night someone came in and stole the batteries out of two tractors in the other orchard. Why can't they leave things alone? They'll get $30 for the batteries. It will cost me $300 to replace the batteries and the cables they cut. What a pain. We were raised, 'if it isn't yours leave it alone.' Some of these guys seem to have been raised, 'if it isn't nailed down it is fair game.'

I have been thinking some more of the idea of a San Joaquin Valley diet. Not only should it feature the fresh fruits and veggies we produce here, it should also feature the diversity of foods from the many cultures that have settled down here. Of course there is the Mexican food. But, that in itself comes in many styles. Michoacan and Sinaloa are well represented here. There are also Armenian, Chinese and Japanese communities with long historical roots. There are many other groups here who brought some fabulous recipes with them.

This week's literary gem comes from Walt Whitman.

"Now I see the secret of making the best persons, it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth."
from 'Song of the Open Road'

Farm life may not be fancy, but many of the most real, honest, wise, reliable and solid people I have ever met have been folks who spent a significant part of their lives out on a farm. Thankfully there are enough of them left to grow our food and fiber.

I hope y'all have a great week.

P