Holidays and rain

Today is Quebec National Day, formerly known as St. John Baptiste Day.  It is one of the biggest holidays of the year in Quebec province. With the rain forecast today, it will be a slow sales day for veggies leaving the area.   It has been an up and down season so far.  The downs have significantly outnumbered the ups.  The chief culprit is the system which has kept the weather in a cool, wet pattern almost from the start of the growing season.  This is the second consecutive year of this regime.  The heavy soils of the Champlain valley need warm, dry weather to dry out enough to work in the spring.  Many growers waited as long as possible to plant, but had to work the soil in wet conditions.  When the soil dries afterward, it is much like concrete and only the freeze, thaw cycle of winter will unlock it.   Corn planted in traditionally wet areas is stunted and sickly with many skips.  Even no till beans are late germinating.  At home, my garden faces many of the same challenges.  The wetter areas have just about dried out, but 2 days of rain and thundershowers will put them back in swampy condition again.  Even the mosquitoes are not thriving despite the wet conditions.  It is too cool for them.