Heat, then storm, then cool

I was bush hogging an area in the back of the hayfield yesterday using the farm tractor, and ignored some storm clouds, which were riding in on the heat.   Got caught out in a huge rain, which was a bit scary, since the swales already contained standing water, and there was the real possibility of getting stuck out there.   Got drenched to the skin.

When I made it back to the pasture fence and turned south to follow it, the wind suddenly picked up massively, hitting me side ways.   I could see the rain moving horizontally, hitting the back of the sheep barn hard.

The cold rain was steaming off the tractor but....at least so far there doesn't seem to be any damage.   Sucking water into an engine is not a good thing.

The temperature went from the 80s to the 60s, and today was much more pleasant.   The vegetable beds were too wet to walk around in much, but at least I got the tomato plants tied up and a bit of hand weeding done.  The picture above is part of Bed #1, weeds and all.  We have three planted vegetable beds this year, plus a new, small, blueberry bed.   Bed #1 includes:  tomatoes, rutabaga, lettuce, kale, carrots, onions, broccoli, nasturtiums, bush beans, and potatoes.  Bed #2 has all the squashes (pumpkins, achorn, yellow summer squash, and zucchini) and the cukes.  Bed #3, which is new this year, has more tomatoes and more beans.

So far, we aren't using any row covers or raised beds.  Everything is in flat, basic, beds.   Last year I mulched everything with grass clippings, but there was not enough time or dry weather to allow for that this year.   So, this year there is more hoeing, and I've also mulched some areas with hay from the back field.   They hay was cut early, so there is little weed seed in it.