I volunteer with the Climate Reality Group, the local park system and a conservation center. It’s part of the plan implemented to “get serious” about climate change and environmental conservation.

On some days, I feel like I have made some difference with the efforts I have made. On other days, I feel the weight of the ignorance and denial that is so prevalent throughout this country. Denial or not, climate change is real.

The definition of climate change is long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns primarily caused by human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels.  I argue that although the shifts may be long-term, we can easily observe them in the short term.

The images below show the differences in the high and low temperatures during June 2024 and June 2025, the key growing month for the vegetables I plant.

There are periods, early in June, where the temperature differences from year to year are not substantial. However, in mid-June, the low temperatures diverge and there is a phase shift after that. In the high temperature chart, the temperatures did not climb in 2025 as they did in 2024 and again, there appears to be a phase shift in the temperature pattern.

In 2024, my tomatoes and cucumbers were plentiful. In 2025, operating under the same conditions, I have had little to no output. And just in case anyone who suggests that it could be the soil: I use potting soil each year in my garden beds to avoid soil issues.

The cause: When day temperatures rise above 95 degrees and night temperatures are upwards of 72 degrees, our larger fruited tomatoes will not set. This is the most common reason tomatoes stop producing. In June 2024, the low temperatures were consistently lower in the final week of the month, except for one warmer day. In June 2025, the low temperatures hovered around 70 degrees.

Climate change has cost us some change 🤑

We lost money this growing season because I had to cancel CSA orders. By the time I figured out that some type of adjustment was needed (cooling fans?), it was too late. Nothin grew and thus, the CSA pilot failed. And so here we are in the month of July with stalks of pretty green plants, and little to no output on any of them.

Crop report, July 15, 2025:

• Tomatoes | there have been 7-10 cherry tomatoes; enough for one salad
• Cucumbers | there have been 2 very small cucumbers so far from one of 6 plants; last year there were dozens, and on every plant
• Broccoli | 3 florets and 0 crowns; last year there were 5-6 large crowns, enough to sell

These are not exaggerations. The good news is that I am not the only vegetable gardener complaining about the weather patterns. The bad news is that there will be no more produce sales from CBW. We will continue to sell plants, primarily herbs, that we believe will be more resistant.

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These annual climactic climatic 😁changes will continue as long as global leaders are not united in the efforts to change consumption behaviors and industrial practices. As it happens, I hope that we will all still be able to purchase or grow food to eat.