Ode to irrigation

If we have been talking about our irrigation system a lot lately, it is because it totally rocks. You would think that people starting a vegetable farm would invest in an irrigation system, but it actually is not that obvious a decision. For one thing, it is expensive, and there are plenty of other demands for our capital resources around here. Second, it is pretty wet up here. I mean, there is plenty of annual rainfall for veggies. The problem is timing. If you don't have any rain for two weeks and you have a constant breeze/wind, it gets pretty dry pretty quick, especially on our sandy soil, and your plants can get set back significantly. So it is tempting to think each season that you might be able to get by without making the investment, and just hand water out of tanks in the truck if things get desperate.

But already our investment has saved us labor expenses. It has been hot (at least for around here) and dry lately, and we have put the system to use, not just to save our plants from dying, but also to make sure they have enough water for optimal growth. The motor attached to the pump has a gas container that holds about 2 hours worth of gas. Fill it up, let it run in the evening, and when it is out of gas, it shuts down by itself, and all the little plants go to bed with plenty of water. The other night we were hanging out on the porch with our friends Kurt and Tracy (and their baby Tommy), and at the same time we were "watering" the plants. Now that is my kind of farming.

Plus, last night we went to the ice cream stand at Marty's in Danville (which, by the way, qualifies as a big Friday night out around here), and I saw another small scale veggie grower I know. She was complaining about the lack of rain, and I know they don't have a real irrigation system. I tried my best to act sympathetic. I really did. But it was a little hard not to have a bit of an inner smile.