In the episode "100 Mile Walk," a hailstorm destroys Charles Ingalls' wheat crop. A devastating event for the family, months of work tending his wheat crop has been destroyed in a matter of minutes.
This week, Tropical Storm Isaias traveled up the east coast leaving destruction in its path. You can see photos of downed trees and power lines from around us in these
photos. We were without power for a little more than 24 hours, but the arbor fell into the garden and uprooted the grape vine I've been tending. The branches had finally gotten large enough to start wrapping around the arbor, so I figured within the next couple of years we might have grapes. My tomato plants took a beating, too, but it's the destruction of the grape vine that breaks my heart. Thankfully, it doesn't mean I can't feed my family, like it did for Charles.
I can admit that I'll never be a master gardener. I don't have enough time to dedicate to the daily tasks of tending the plants, nourishing the soil, and weeding. I think of working toward becoming self-sustaining, but don't know how I would manage it by myself. I've even started looking at chicken coops--which I swore would never happen.
It's hard, however, to be so susceptible to the whims of Mother Nature. How did Charles Ingalls and Almanzo Wilder do it? How do today's farmers do it?
