I Feel The Farmers' Pain

[joshuapalmatier]

So, this week hasn't been all that good in the gardening department. We had a frost earlier this week and although we covered everything we still lost some tomatoes and bell pepper plants. *sigh* In addition, even though I planted probably 40 seeds, only about 2 of the pea plants came up. The rest rotted in the ground because we got too much rain and not enough sun. (Peas need rain after planting, but then they need sun to grow or they rot. If they don't get rain they won't grow either. They're a little touchy.)

I don't think people realize exactly how frustrating farming can be in general. There are so many things that keep the plants from growing well or even surviving long enough to produce vegetables or fruit. There's getting them growing in the first place (like the peas). Then there's keeping them alive and healthy enough to produce (like the frost of bugs or disease or . . .). So far this year, we've lost about 7 plants to frost and 2 plants to some kind of root rot, not to mention the seeds that just didn't grow for various reasons. I always think of this when reading those apocalyptic novels where everyone joins together and starts farming and such. I don't think I've read many where the group loses the entire crop due to a bug infestation or where half of the plants didn't take or died of an unexpected frost, or whatever. They always seem to have little problems aside from finding the seeds to plant and such (if they have those problems at all).

Then there's the whole issue of not having food until the crops are harvested. And the fact that it takes more than just one tomato plant to feed a single person. And . . . But I digress.

In any case, I'm feeling the pain. I hate losing plants.

In other gardening news, good news this time, the corn I planted seems to be coming up. I saw the first shoots poking through the ground yesterday. I also got the bulbs taken out of the ground yesterday in nearly all of those containers, and I got the planters full of climbers ready on the third floor and ran strings up to the fourth floor of the building. The hope is that they'll climb to the fourth floor and look exceptionally cool. If they want to run higher, I'll run strings up to the roof. It's an experiment this year. We'll see what happens.

And now a different topic altogether: writing-related news! Just a reminder that I'll be at Balticon this weekend with the following schedule:

Friday:

4pm I Shot the Sheriff on Page One
9pm Portraying Elderly Characters
11pm Titles Looking For Stories

Saturday:

Noon Submission Faux Pas
3pm Autographing with Maria V. Snyder
4pm Bheer and Other Libations in SF
6pm Cardboard Characters
8pm Editor/Copy Editor: The Writer's Enemies?

And speaking of . . . if any of you have some "titles looking for stories" suggestions for that panel, I'd appreciate it. Give me your best, most intriguing--or corny--titles that are just begging to have a story written about them. I'll try to bring them up on the panel. (I should probably check and see if I'm moderating any of those panels as well. Hmmm . . .)

Also, I managed to take some time out yesterday from the gardening and errand-running and read a little bit. I finished The Outlanders by David B. Coe, the second book in the Lon-Tobyn Chronicles. Here's my review, also up at GoodReads:

Review: I've just finished this book and I have to say that I loved it. After reading the first book in the series, Children of Amarid, which is a fantasy, I was surprised to find that this book had many science fiction elements in it, which was unexpected.

It also caused me some concern before I got too far into it. I'll explain.

The series is essentially a juxtaposition of a science fiction society against a fantasy society. The first book dealt with the fantasy society, and the incursion of a group of people from the science fiction society in an attempt to destablize the fantasy society. While the one is based solely on magic, through the use of bonding with hawks and falcons and owls and such, along with focusing crystals, the SF society is of course based on science with a heavy dose of fear for the unexplained magic. The SF society copies the magical devices using their science and then inflitrates the land, causing the conflict in book 1.

In book 2, one of the sorcerers from the fantasy society goes to the SF society with the intent to start talks of peace and instigates numerous changes instead. My fear when I first realized where the second book was headed was that there would be no realistic explanation of why the SF society hasn't already taken over the fantasy world. It's not like they're traveling through gates or some massive void that separates the two lands or anything like that. Instead, the two lands are connected by an isthmus. Trade overseas occurs on a daily basis, not only with the SF society, but a third society as well. As a worldbuilder myself, I found it hard to believe that such societies could live in such close proximity, without some significant barrier between them, and not have one of them overrun the other out of sheer greed. With the trade, they'd have to at least influence each other somehow.

But that isn't really addressed in the book. So there's a big suspension of disbelief required by the reader in order to overlook that close proximity. Some of it can be explained by saying that SF society is so closely ruled by its leaders that its citizens could not venture outside the bounds of the city . . . but that's not quite enough. There's also mention of alot of "fear" of the sorcerers from those in the SF society, including those of high rank . . . but that also doesn't really satisfy me either because there's no real explanation for why they fear it so, especially after they've subjugated their own version of the sorcerers from their own lands.

But guess what? It doesn't matter. If you allow yourself to overlook this flaw, or at least this unexplained setup, and pay attention to the story and the characters, none of the rest of it matters. This was a great book, with characters I cared about and wanted to see succeed. And the story was well told and easy to follow. Having the sorcerer dealing with the SF society, and meeting new characters from the SF society that I grew to love, made up for any of my initial concerns about the worldbuilding. In the end, I turned off my inner writing editor (who brought up the concern in the first place before I'd even really started reading) and simply enjoyed the story as a reader. And it was a good story. In fact, I'd say that I enjoyed the second book more than the first in the series.

Now on to book 3, Eagle-Sage. *grin*

Comments

[jer-bear711.livejournal.com]

Looks like we'll be on a couple of Balticon panels together this weekend (the Sheriff & the Editor ones). Looking forward to it. :-)

We have a farm behind our house, probably about 100 acres, where they usually plant corn or wheat. This year the wheat crop completely failed, perhaps due to the very dry February and March we had (it's rained a lot in April and May, but as you said, the timing is crucial). It's very sad-looking.

I used to garden before I took up writing, and now there simply isn't time for both. Sigh...

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

The most time-consuming part of gardening is the planting phase. Once that's done, it's mostly watering. At least for the gardening that I do, in containers, on the roof.

Will definitely see you at Balticon. Got plans for dinner tonight (Friday)?

[jer-bear711.livejournal.com]

Actually, I'm having dinner at 5 after our panel with Gail Martin, but it's open to all, so if it's not too early for you, please do join us. :-)

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Hmm . . . Patricia and I were planning on hitting Carrabas after the 4pm panel, between 5 and 9 sometime. Where were you guys planning on going?

[jer-bear711.livejournal.com]

We hadn't made specific plans, but that sounds fine. I need to come home after dinner--on heavy deadline right now--so I was hoping to eat right at 5 and then stop by Greetings & Readings to sign stock.

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Not sure we can do it immediately at 5pm, will have to check with Patricia. However, I don't see why we can't at the moment. I'll let you know at the panel.

[bearmountain.livejournal.com]

I've gotten to where I plant my snap peas/beans about a week apart for three weeks or so (or start over when I lose them) That seems to help some of them make it.

This year we had late frost down in Texas--weirdly late. I replanted the beans 7 times. SEVEN. And at least one packet of Juliets yielded zero plants. I shared the packet with my mom and brother--none came up. NONE.

This year the onions must have had pink rot (Makes me very angry because now the soil there will be ruined for onions for about 5 years.) I used fresh soil (new part of the garden) so I don't think it was the soil, which was a mix of peat and my own compost from leaves and such.)

Gardening can be a LOT harder than it looks. Just keep replanting. Eventually something comes up and then your 60 dollar tomato will be wonderful!!!

:>)

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

I replanted the frost-bitten stuff as well as the peas. Looks like the corn I planted has come up, so probably won't need to plant that . . . unless the birds snip it off before it gets too high.

[arhyalon.livejournal.com]

Hey, I'll be there, too. (Saturday and Sunday) Maybe we can meet! ;-)

Jagi

[arhyalon.livejournal.com]

PS. I don't even look remotely like my icon. ;-p

[madkestrel.livejournal.com]

No, she doesn't look like her icon...she's MORE gorgeous than that! :D

[arhyalon.livejournal.com]

Gah! You are awfully sweet. ;-)

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

We can certainly meet if you stop by during my signing on Saturday! Say hi, and mention your LJ name or otherwise I probably won't make the connection.

[arhyalon.livejournal.com]

Sorry, did not make it by at the right time. You were the only person who I wanted to meet there whom I did not run into...but of course, I don't know what you look like, so--for all I know, we did meet. ;-)

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

That happens at every con. There's always someone you're trying to meet that you just never run into. But I'll be at cons in the future, so hopefully we'll meet up then!

[dqg-neal.livejournal.com]

I usually do fairly well getting the pea plants to grow when I do. Which is good because I especially love to eat the pods right off the plant when havesting. (My wife always wants to cook them.)

But they do take a lot of care. Some years I've overwatered and they end up a mess. Or the aphids take over.

Tomatoes and peppers usually tend to be fairly easy to keep alive. Of course I actually hate tomatoes... but I have to grow them for my wife. The problem is that whenever she wants to use them we notice there are either not enough for whatever she is cooking. Or enough to feed 40 people.

As for dealing with that in a story. I have no idea how to grow things from a seed that hadn't come prepackaged from a store. I've never yet tried to take the seeds from the plant I grew for the next generation. So it always makes me wonder what a character in a story had to do to start their farm.


Balticon: What no Sunday panels?
They didn't schedule me for too many panels so I'll actually get to hang out in the Green Room sometime. Probably be spending most of the rest of my time trying to sell copies of the So It Begins anthology.

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Peas have been replanted. And I don't usually have any problems with tomatoes, but the frost was unexpected.

No Sunday panels. I'm leaving on Sunday actually, which is probably why I didn't get anything on that day. I'll likely be in the Green Room for some refreshment between those many, many panels. Hopefully I'll catch you there!

[madkestrel.livejournal.com]

I've had the title Absalom Cried in my head for nearly fifteen years, but I have yet to come up with the story to attach it to. :D

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Oooo! *Goes on list* Are you attending? Perhaps the audience will give you some ideas on what to do with that title. (If not, I'll try to jot down some notes for you.)

[madkestrel.livejournal.com]

Ooh, a note or two would be lovely! Alas, I'm stuck here this weekend, but maybe next year I'll be there - have a wonderful time!

[brownkitty.livejournal.com]

There's a story in my head that wants to be written, but won't tell me what it is! Title is All You Can Eat and it's about zombies, and when I try to poke it it just sits there :(

::sigh:: And now having admitted that, I'm informed that it's not about human zombies. If you'll excuse me?

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Zombies! Great title, too. I'll mention it at the panel.

[realmjit.livejournal.com]

If you have the space, start your seedlings inside and keep them there until after last frost. google for this info, or look on the back of the seed packet.

The hardest part of gardening is getting my husband to stop wasting money at the grocery store on fresh produce when we have a good supply of it 6 inches from the car. (It's 6 inches from the *passenger* side of the car, which is why he keeps ignoring it. O'course, he'd probably step on the plants if it was between him and the car...)

(I exaggerate, he was v. good about the broccoli last year.)

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

We do start some things inside, but not everything. Since everything's in containers, we usually just drag everything inside during frost, but this time it wasn't supposed to be a bad frost (if anything) so we just covered stuff.

Never again.

[barbarienne.livejournal.com]

My favorite "title with potential" is Curious George and the Electric Fence, but I'm pretty sure the trademark holder wouldn't grant rights to that one.

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

*puts on list* I'm certain they'd let you play with that title if you asked nicely. Like, with a cattle prod.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

That's why zombies rule. You don't want to be the farmer, you want to be whatever eats the farmer, and thus has tasty human snacks regardless of the growing season.

[tryslora]

Ah, but does the zombie need the farmer to be well-fed?

[tryslora]

I feel your pain on the planting! We scaled down our garden this year (funding, time) and we were late getting it in because of weather. When we finally bought the plants on Sunday they told us not to plant until Tuesday night, so there I was, as it grew dark, trying to get everything safely in the ground. But yeah, since Tuesday morning there'd been frost on my car, I'm glad I didn't do it sooner.

Several years ago I planted on Mother's Day and went to Boston the following weekend. While in Boston, I watched snow fall... and came home to all my basil and tomatoes gone. *sighs* New England is a pain in the tail when it comes to gardening!!!

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

80 degress one day, low of 20 a few nights later . . . yeah.

[mardott.livejournal.com]

I've had very little success with growing vegetables. I seem to do all right on the drought-tolerant plants I've put out. That part of the yard is looking quite spiffy.

But food? No luck. And my foodie-farmer-hippie soul always feels very sad about that. But I do the next best thing, and pay a local farmer for a box of vegetables every week. What I can't get from him, I pick up at the farmer's market.

But I really wish I could grow my own food. So best of luck with the rest of your garden. May it all bloom and prosper, and keep you fed through the winter!

[mardott.livejournal.com]

May I just say: You are personally responsible for my Amazon wish list tripling in size. How will I ever read all the books you keep talking about? And still have time to write my own?

Oh, yeah - and work. And maybe try to grow tomatoes. (I'm ever hopeful).

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Just think of all of the books I read that I DON'T like and don't say anything about online. *grin*

[redcrowkater.livejournal.com]

Wow, what totally different gardening problems! All my friends say they have problems getting their plants to sprout, and I tell them it's because they weren't watered frequently enough, or they started them too late. Here in the desert, our planting season is pretty much over by the end of April, and if you missed it, too bad, wait for September. I planted my peas in November, but when it started to get hot a month ago they'd already finished their run. You should post pictures. I'd sure like to see.

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Garden pic-porn will likely happen when actual veggies begin growing.

[sueo2.livejournal.com]

About six weeks ago I got a new neighbor, who seems to be a landscaper or something of the kind. He's putting a greenhouse in his backyard to start his veggies early, and frost-proof them. I suspect he'll also be using it to winter store his tropical palms and lemon trees which he has peppered all over his lawn. (We live outside Philadelphia ... and some local guy has a yard full of palm trees. I love it.)

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

A greenhouse would rock. I'll have to start looking for something for the roof.

[sueo2.livejournal.com]

My childhood neighbor used old windows for his greenhouse, but many professionals in this area use that clear(ish) plastic sheeting. I'm guessing that as long as it traps the radiant heat from the sunlight, it would work. (hmm, wonder about those newer one-way radiation technologies?)