Redland Rambles

Rising almost-full moon on Summer Solstice Eve.

It’s officially summer time! The solstice was last Friday, followed by a supermoon (when the moon is at the very closest to Earth all year). But it sure felt like summer months before. Summer is a hot, humid, sweaty, weedy time at Bee Heaven Farm. The CSA season ended in late April. The last of the carrots got found and pulled up at Gleaning Day in early May. And now the vegetable beds take a well-deserved rest until planting season in fall. Yes, fall — not spring.

If you are from anywhere north of Florida, you’ll quickly discover that farming seasons are upside down here, compared to what you may be used to in, say, North Carolina. There, the growing season is in full swing. Here, farmers let the fields rest and go on vacation. When the fall harvest winds down Up North, the planting season begins down here.

Lost in the weeds. (Can you find the bee?)

In the last two months, weeds sprang up to waist and shoulder height in the vegetable beds. They flourished because of days of torrential rain. Finally, on a dry day, Farmer Margie attached the brush hog to the green John Deere tractor and mowed them all down.

Weeds have met their match.

Summer is time for fruit. Lychees made their brief appearance for a couple weeks in May. Margie’s creamy Donnie avocados can get as big as footballs. Mangoes in all their varieties are definitely the queen of the summer fruit. Much coveted mamey, with its sweet salmon-colored flesh, is coming in. Massive jackfruit looks primordial with its thick, spiky hide. Sapodilla and longans are ripening. Summer is definitely a good time to become a fruitarian!

Donnie avocados ripening.