Manifold Destiny

Today was one of the less varied days for me here on the farm. Usually every few hours I'm jumping to something new--harvesting or washing produce, transplanting crops from the greenhouse, laying out bird-proof netting, clearing weeds, etc--but for the first time I was able to work on one task most of the day. And here it is: a drip irrigation system for the 5 beds of young leeks we transplanted yesterday.

Around this time of year, when the weather is transitioning from cooler days to hot, drip irrigation is laid out in most of the fields. Those beds that are close to harvest are still watered from overhead--it's not worth it to lay lines, just when the bed is about to be turned under and prepared for something new. The issue with overhead (or sprinkler) watering is primarily that wet leaves are prone to fungal diseases and thus premature decay of the crop can occur.

To construct your drip irrigation system across several beds, you will need a manifold to disperse water at the points you require, and perforated hosing to run from those points down the length of the bed. This being an organic farm with a sustainable heart, recycling is paramount, and so manifolds, hoses, and assorted connectors are kept and re-used each year. My project today was locating all the necessary parts, constructing the system, adding any missing components, and fixing leaks as they presented themselves. I suppose from the picture it might not look like much, but to me it was a terrifically satisfying experience to build the entire structure on my own, working out all the necessary steps and resolving any issues that came up. Experiences like these are so fulfilling, and happen frequently here on the farm; I am very glad that I found my way here.