The fields to the west and southwest are planted now, in alfalfa, and to the south there are miles and miles of tiny trees wrapped with white protective sleeves. In the field next door, it will be corn. Established almond orchards are to the southeast. Yellow crates of honeybees dot the edges all around, and we work right beside them as they happily explore the flats of groundcover. They own us and they know it.
A crop duster came through yesterday morning, moments after a farmhand rang the bell to tell us they were spraying for pests. Light and agile, the plane came in with low sweeping strokes as we watched from the window. WooHoo! No mosquitos tonight!
There hasn't been the right kind of rain for the farmers to self irrigate their crops, and we are feeling it. All around the irrigation pumps work overtime and for us that means a significant drop in water pressure @ the homestead.
We noticed it first in the garden hose, which started off strong and just whimped out. Hmmm. The house pressure was reasonably good, and for a second we thought maybe an underground pipe burst in the yard.
No, wait. Out here, we share. When our neighbors have to tap into the underground reservoir significantly, the water table drops until it replenishs itself. We have to be
patient.
The alfalfa crop is in its 3rd week and already the night harvesters were out. The dog sat on my lap as we peered together into the darkness, watching the huge machines with bright lights go up and down the rows.
I'll be hauling buckets of water from the laundry room out to our new plants and trees if necessary. Oh, and praying for rain.
