Tomato Crop = 100% Failure

Back on July 2nd, I posted a piece about late blight and the potential devastating impact that could occur. Well, it's here. I began noticing the signs recently and have lost all of my plants. They have been pulled up, wrapped in plastic bags, and will be going to the transfer station bound for the incinerator. So far it appears that only the tomato plants have been damaged.

Here is a link to a Boston area news report as well as with a short video.
Thank you, big box stores.

I am certain that I have both early and late blight, but late blight is the real killer here. My Mom used to talk a lot about early blight and I learned to recognize it long ago but it never really had much impact on the plant of fruit.

There was an article in our local paper yesterday about both of those diseases being in gardens and farms in our immediate area.



I also ripped up the remainder of the beans. The beans that were on them were nice size, but I believe the heat we have had of late made them really starchy and not very tasty.

I have determined that I cannot do both jobs and maintain the gardens to be productive and still have some time to enjoy other activities. With any luck I'll be able to cut back or eliminate the part time job within the next year or two.

Luckily, we do not rely on this produce to get through the winter. Some see gardening and growing your own food as a "simple life". I was one of them. I assure you, it is not. A simple life is what most of us already have, really. Most don't think about their food or where it comes from. Or even care. You just have to go to the store and get it. That is simple. There is no immediate concern about disease, bug infestations, weather or yield. True, on the grand scale the market is affected by these and other factors, but very rarely do we have to worry or think about it. Moan and groan when the price goes up a few cents, but that's about the extent of it.