Today in the orchard
Cammy and the resurrected corn patch, July 18, 2025
Some days you have to drop everything, set aside all plans, change course and do something you never thought you’d ever have to do. Today was one of those days. It was all hands on deck to do an emergency repair in the big vegetable garden. The major winds of the past two days had caused the corn to lodge. In some rows every stalk was on the ground. Cammy, Skylar and I pounded in stakes every few feet down each row and then basket-wove string back and forth around the stalks. It was a huge task. The situation was looking pretty grim at lunchtime, but we were able to resurrect the patch by day’s end. We even got done in time to go off to the film festival in Waterville.
Meanwhile the first beebalm (wild bergamot, Monarda fistulosa) flowers are up in the Finley Lane orchard. Within the next week or so there’ll be thousands of flowers throughout the orchard. The Monarda is a highlight of the summer for us… and the bees.
