This is our view of the Connecticut River from our irrigation pump. We've been spending a lot of time here lately. It's a lovely place to meditate on water while priming the pump. During a dry spring like this one, we feel so fortunate to have access to a good, clean, abundant water source. Our irrigation system is necessary because of the farm’s light sand loam soils, and regular watering is essential for healthy plant growth.
As we seed and transplanting many new crops in the fields throughout May and June, it takes a few weeks for plant roots to establish, and during this time period we need about 1 inch of water on the fields per week. It's a lot easier when water falls from the sky, but over the years we've had such erratic spring weather that we decided to invest in our irrigation system. So, while it takes a lot of extra work to set up and move irrigation pipe several times a week, we do feel prepared for hot, dry weather like this and the plants are getting the water they need.
