The Essence of Summer

by Bob Blanchard (Farmer Chris’ dad)

A few weeks ago, as I frequently do, I was scanning a list of blogs that I track while having morning coffee. One in particular from the Rocky Mountain School of Photography (RMSP), caught my attention as it suggested an assignment to take images that show what summer means to you – to show how you might visualize “The Essence of Summer.”

In considering what was termed “quintessentially summer” images, I suspect most folks might likely picture backyard barbecues, lazy summer days in the hammock or maybe a weekend at the beach or lake. And until this year, when someone asked me to describe what it meant to me, I would have talked of climbing and hiking in the Tetons, trail runs in the high mountains and hanging out on the river. But this spring and summer, I've been living with my son here at Rock Spring Farm and the essence of summer has taken on a totally new meaning: mowing cover crops and tilling them under to prepare the fields for planting; transplanting vegetables from the greenhouse to the fields; packing boxes to be delivered to customers whether it’s a grocery store or co-op or individuals with CSA subscriptions; hearing from people at the stores when I make deliveries about how much they enjoy the produce we provide; and, surviving what seem to be weekly electrical and rain storms. The essence of summer has become visual images of a powerful idea – that special relationship that exists between farmers growing food and providing it to those that eat the food we grow – and what goes into that relationship.

Summer on the farm is long days of work often starting before the family is out of bed and going until dark; the heat, humidity and filtered light of the greenhouses providing the elements for new seeds to take root in preparation for going into the fields; the mixed fragrances of the rows of herbs that I pass as I walk to the creek; the satisfaction of seeing vacant fields turn green with vegetation that becomes the food that we eat each night.

It’s true that I long to be back in the mountains where I can talk about my more typical summer with friends that I care about, but the luxury of spending time on the farm, with my family, watching fields transform to the food we eat has given me a new perspective on “The Essence of Summer.”

And if you’re interested in what RMSP selected to portray The Essence of Summer, you can find it at <http://blog.rmsp.com/2010/08/10/essence-of-summer-assignment-gallery/>.