Harvesting during a break in the rain. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Who would have thought I would still be writing about rain this far into May? Turns out, this has been the wettest May ever. But you wouldn't have had to tell that to anyone on our crew - they already know it's been one for the record books! The storms have offered welcome relief from drought, but they've come with a cost, too. My heart goes out to all of your who have experienced any flooding or other storm damage. It definitely has been a tough Spring for many people living in Central Texas.

Parts of our Garfield farm flooded due to rain. Photo by Scott David Gordon

As a farmer, I have never experienced weather quite like this. And I know I am not alone - many other growers in our community are struggling to recover from these unprecedented storms. I have been asked by quite a few people if there's anything they can do to help, and my answer is always the same - now more than ever, you need to support your local growers. This means doing things like going to the farmers market even if it is raining (we will be there, rain or shine!) or signing up to get a weekly CSA share from a local farm. In times like these, I have a heightened appreciation for all our CSA members. It is your consistent support that carries us through these rough patches - you have my sincere thanks once again. Really, I don't know what I would do without the strength of this community.

Over the past week, I have had more time than usual to think as I went on a sailing trip down in Florida with my father. We planned this before the rains hit, and I didn't want to cancel on him. Plus, there really wasn't anything I could do about the weather. Had I decided to stay home, I think I would have just been fretting even more over something that was out of my control.

Out on the water with my dad.

Now, I am really happy that I decided to go. I had a fantastic time with my dad. When I was growing up, we sailed and even raced together (try to picture me racing in a '79 Hobie Cat!). I am super competitive, so when some of my dad's buddies challenged me to a race last week, I of course said yes. And guess who won? Not me! Those guys are seriously good at sailing - it takes a lifetime of experience to be a good sailor, and they clearly have put in the work. In this way, sailing is like farming - you gain knowledge with each year. This year, I suspect I will learn a lot more about dealing with heavy rain...

Wild plum harvest.

My dad and I also spent some time in the historic parts of Panama City, and I took every opportunity I could to go running. On one of my runs, I came across some wild plums and was transported back to my childhood in Alabama. As I kid, I used to walk down dirt roads in search of these little treasures. Believe me - there is nothing like a ripe wild plum! Thanks to my dad, I also got to have some homemade squash pickles made from the squash in my father's garden. They were amazing - I included the recipe at the end of this post so you can make them, too!

Squash pickles. Look for the recipe in the blog next week!

As a farmer, I don't really like to be away from home for too long. I have to say, I'm especially glad to be back with my wife Beth and our four kids, Lila, Drew, Ada and Jimmy. Last week was amazing, though - it was wonderful to be able to reconnect with my father through our joint love of sailing. And, I got to see my Grandmother Mama Nell for a few days - she's turning 89 this year! So, I feel grateful for the break but even more thankful to be back with my family and doing what I love. How does the saying go? You can take the farmer out of the field, but you can't take the field out of the farmer... or something like that. You know what I mean!

BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES (Use yellow squash, zucchini, or cucumbers)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds of yellow squash, zucchini or cucumbers, cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds (about 6 1/2 cups)

• 1 medium white onion (about 8 ounces), halved and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)

• 2 heaping tablespoons coarse salt

• 3 cups cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar

• 2 1/4 cups sugar

• 1 teaspoon whole mustard seeds

• 3/4 teaspoon celery seed

• 3/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric

• 3 fresh jalapenos (sliced round or lengthwise) or 3 dried hot chiles or

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring vinegar, sugar, mustard and celery seeds, peppercorns, turmeric, and red-pepper flakes, dried chiles to a boil in a saucepan. Add your choose or combo of squash, zucchini or cucumbers... and onion. Return cucumbers to a boil (if using squashes and or Jalapenos, add them, then remove from heat; do not return to a boil).

2. If eating within a week..(I at two jars in two days on vacation) just add the squash, zucchini or cucumber and onion/pepper liquid mixture to the mason jars and refrigerate. The bread and butter pickles can be eaten immediately!

3. For storage...I never take the time for this. Ladle into 3 hot sterilized pint jars, leaving about 1/2 inch below each jar's neck. Wipe rims of jars with a clean, damp cloth; cover tightly with sterilized lids and screw tops. Using tongs or a jar clamp, transfer jars to a rack in a large canning pot or a large, deep pot filled with hot water, being sure to keep jars upright at all times. (Jars should be spaced 1 inch apart, and should not touch sides of pot.) Cover with water by 1 inch. Cover pot, and bring to a boil. Process jars in boiling water for 10 minutes. Let cool. Press down on each lid. If lid pops back, it's not sealed; refrigerate unsealed jars immediately, and use within 1 month. Sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.