Dry conditions ‘no surprise’ to WVC

West Central Indiana is currently seeing “abnormally dry” weather conditions. At the time of this writing, 39 U.S. states are experiencing Moderate Drought conditions, per the National Integrated Drought Information System.

While it may be inconvenient, these climate conditions come as no surprise to the White Violet Center for Eco-Justice (WVC) Team. “We’re also getting used to it,” said John-Michael Elmore, WVC Farm Manager. “We’ve had extended periods of drought for three of the past four years. It’s kind of becoming the new normal.”

So, what does the farm do to combat these potentially harmful weather conditions while they wait for rain? “It requires more irrigation. Also, we’re delaying some of our fall planting because it’s too hot and dry. It also impacts our cover crop for over-the-Winter soil health because we don’t have a way to irrigate it and the seeds won’t germinate without rain,” explained John-Michael.

The farm team also relies heavily on their high tunnel structures to help combat extreme weather. This allows the next round of planting to begin in anticipation of cooler months. The crops currenting growing in the high tunnels will be transplanted into the ground after the heat subsides. The tomato crop that is grown in both high tunnels and in the gardens is also winding down on production. This year the tomatoes came on early and remained a strong and steady crop for most of the summer. Several of the summer crops are ending their production, so to be mindful of water and resource conservation the farm team are allowing them to finish their lifecycle and return to the earth.

Encouragingly, a look at the local weather forecast shows that West Central Indiana may not be waiting for rain for much longer. A measurable amount of rainfall within the next two weeks will allow the farm to get the fall crops planted and in the ground, so that the team can continue to grow certified-organic, healthy food for the local community. Farming in this day and age is all about being flexible, trying new ideas and experimenting with new methods to help WVC be successful in their mission.