A NOTE FROM FARMER AL
Dear CSA Members, We got more rain…..and very thankful for it, even though it was only about 1⁄4”. That’s just enough to wash all the dust off of the leaves and settle the dust on the roads. But that’s not a small thing. Dust is one of our worst enemies, as dust on leaves is the habitat mites like. Those nasty little spiders will feed on the leaves, and eventually defoliate the tree if left unchecked. Rain is the best control for mites and it’s free! The rain also delivers a shot of nitrogen to the leaves and to the soil. We can always see a dark green flush of new growth after rain. Best of all is the water needed to alleviate the drought. We’re being warned by the director of our Irrigation District of im- pending curtailments by the State of California Department of Water Resources. So the recent rain was a blessing for us and we’re very thank- ful for it. Meanwhile, things are also picking up pace in the orchard. We’ve still have plums and pears to thin and ripe fruit to pick, weeds to mow, compost to make and spread, and the list is endless! And we love it! So enjoy the brief but delicious batch of Rainier cherries! Next week peaches are back!