A rainy day...

...on Douds-Floyd Farm.
In anticipation of the rain, we worked very hard to get some plants into the field. These cool, wet days will be perfect for transplants to adjust to their new home.
On Monday, Phil fertilized and disked three fields. In one field, he planted sweet corn (Cameo), which will be ready around September 1. In another, he planted beans. While he planted, Becky loaded lettuce and cut herbs and traveled to Coraopolis Farmers' Market.
On Tuesday in the third field, Phil and Becky laid 2400 feet of black plastic mulch. With Sue's help, we planted about 850 pumpkin and winter squash plants. The time was 5 pm and we were ready to quit. A check of the weather helped us decide to plant 200 more plants...melons and various types of summer squash. It's a good thing, too, as we already have 0.7 inch rain. We won't be planting anything for a few days!
The pumpkins are planted in a field that has always been a favorite for killdeer. Perhaps they appreciate a small adjacent wet spot covered with tall grass where they can hide. While we worked, a pair scurried around with 4 young. The babies are so cute! They would walk down the middle of the row, playing in the puddles of water formed where each pumpkin was planted. If we got too close, a parent would raise its wing pretending to be injured and make a terrible twitter.