The Rice is in the Boot!

 

I might have mentioned in my previous post that this farm where I have landed is somewhat unique. First, this farm is also a seed bank, and grains such as wheat, barley, and rye are grown on a small scale. 

We also grow rice on a small scale.

Now, I have to explain a bit here. This farm is located on an island in the Pacific Northwest of the United States off the Washington State coast. We are at a latitude of 48.59 degrees North. Not only is the climate somewhat chilly, we have long days and short nights in the summer. Rice is sensitive to the length of day, or perhaps more accurate, the length of night. Add the intolerance to cold at certain stages of the rice plant’s development, to the sensitivity to the length of the night, and you can see why it is a bit more challenging to grow rice here. 

But, it is possible. 

It is pretty amazing to me to see it growing here in such an unlikely place. As to why grow it here when there are other places in the world that have a climate and latitude that are far more suited to growing rice, well, that will have to be for another post.

It is complicated. 

I will add that the rice is growing in a hoop house and the day-length is controlled with blackout coverings. 

It has been a bit of a strange weather year. The temperatures have fluctuated quite a bit and fall is definitely creeping in. The rice, along with a few other crops, might not make it to full maturity. This farm is off-grid and we don’t use artificial heat in the hoop houses although, we do use solar power to vent them when needed. 

In between working in the gardens and getting my trailer ready to move to a different spot, I am gathering and drying herbs and making tinctures. 

Here are the latest, Shepherds Purse, Grape leaf, and Lemon Balm. The hops I gathered are nearly dry enough to make tincture and some will be kept for dried stock. I also have Mallow drying, both root and leaf, and Stinging Nettle seed. I hope to be growing and harvesting a lot more herbs next year. In the meantime, there is still hawthorn berries to harvest and willow bark I dried to tincture. 

Well, it is late and I must get some rest so I will wrap up this blog post. I am eagerly awaiting the ripening of some of the beans grown from older seed I did a rescue process on. 

The blog posts will be shifting from farm gardens to trailer remodel as the seasons change. I will also be picking up my sketch pad and pencils soon. It will feel good to get back to art.

 I am ready. 

Yours in Truth and Beauty, 

-Renee