If I spend too much time with any one crop, my worrisome nature takes over and I start to doubt its progress. “Is that aster yellows in the carrots?” “Did you see that shrimpy kale transplant in the second planting? Do you think its shrimpiness is contagious?” So, for the sake of my sanity (and Landon’s), I try to check-in no more than a few times per week. Any more than that and a cluster of bugs becomes an “infestation!” and a few little yellow spots become an “epidemic!”.
But when it comes to melons, I can’t help myself. I go full-on “helicopter parent”, inspecting, coddling, smelling, and checking for those ambiguous signs of ripeness at least a few times per day. Our melon crop looks better than it has in any year prior, and I’m anxious for it to bear fruit. If you’re feeling ready to eat some melons, please know that we’re right there with you! As soon as that cantaloupe is ready to slip from the vine, I’ll be there to carry it to Philly.