timing II

the jerusalem artichokes in my back yard are coming alive with blooms...a bit later than the ones in the community garden...but well within the usual window of late july or early august...these are about a foot taller than the ones on campus and have put more energy into verticality than blooms...so far...the real test will be when harvest rolls around...then we can take some measure of micro-climate differences over a six mile distance and its impact ( if any ) on productivity...the sunchokes aren't the only thing moving along out there...the grapes in the elm tree are beginning to change color...in a couple of months there will be yet another harvest...and crawling around in the brush behind the concord cascade i see bunches of grapes.