Like every cycle here on the farm, the stretch from Winter into Spring is vibrant. We are spending more time out in the grove, keeping watch over the important work of preparing our farm for warmer weather.
We have gleaned from our rounds that the papaya trees thrived in the greenhouse that went up (almost overnight) at the onset of winter, and the bananas have been happily sheltered under protective cover.
When it comes to cold weather, I can empathize with the tropical plants. Unlike my hairy brother Rocky I don’t have much fur, or body fat. Over the winter months, my human compadres outfitted me in a snazzy winter jacket and a comfy bed and heater. Now as the days grow warmer, Rocky and I are back to basking in nature’s heat lamp, El Sol!
Spring also brings irresistible scents from the soil. Our humans, almost as clever as we are, engineered our farm so the dirt around each plant holds rainwater. They say there’s so much stored water, the irrigation from the well to the grove has been turned off for weeks.
Our rounds in the flower fields always capture Rocky’s fancy: I can inspect the entire avocado grove and come back to find him still meandering through the snapdragons and eucalyptus.
As we circle the greenhouses, we are tickled by an explosion of more sights and smells -- spinach, cilantro, kale, peppers, brassicas, romaine, and lettuce blends. One lucky day we were offered a sample of the new spinach and boy, do we know why our customers snap it up so fast at the markets!
Just last week, we even journeyed off the ranch with our humans. While they were working near the gate, Rocky and I had a little encounter with two dogs from a neighboring ranch who were taking their human for a walk (the constant leash pulling!). Both were bossy and larger than me. Despite their size advantage, I had the bigger attitude, so I schooled them on the psychological aspects of the encounter!
It is time to wrap up another seasonal report from the farm. We wish all our customers a Happy Spring!
Tej and Rocky