Farm Report For July 31

I picked a good amount of Roma tomatoes this morning. They're nice big ones, and my guess is I'll have a bumper crop. I sprayed the eggplant for aphids. The eggplant is producing, but I'm going to have to be vigilant for insect pests

Gophers are a big problem this year. As the summer progresses and everything gets dryer, the cultivated areas like lawns and vegetable gardens are the last refuge of the gophers. They're all through the yard, and Pogi is still tearing up the lawn to hunt them. A gopher got into the beans and killed a number of plants. I'm out of gopher pellets as of yesterday, but I'll get more tomorrow. I saw a local article that rattlesnakes are becoming a problem in some areas, as the snakes follow the gophers into people's yards.

I worked outside until noon, and it's heating up, with a forecast high of 103 F. One of my revelations about gardening, is that you have to go out and harvest and spray and water, regardless of whether it's easy or comfortable. I read about other gardeners that have such bad luck, and I suspect they don't go out and garden enough. If a pest is attacking a crop, you have to identify the problem and take counter measures. It's hard and dirty work sometimes, not groovy and magical.

Dog Society

It's after 10 PM, and finally cooler. Halo just herded Pogi outside, in a good-natured way. They're at the fence together, warning a cat across the road to NOT come into their yard.