Solution to Sunscald

The air was heavy, saturated with moisture from the ground, root systems, and fungal network. It would be unbearable if not for the hollow wooden tubes that pierced through ground nearby each plant to allow for air to circulate and for anyone working subterranean. Even with them though, it felt like breathing sweat mixed with dirt. Breathing through the mouth, covered by a cloth wrap, was the best course of action. Going through the nose left a uncomfortable stench in the nostrils.

Today's work flow was pretty systematic, repetitive and uneventful. Gonyaul had done it so many times that he could almost turn himself on autopilot and daydream, while still performing optimally. His thoughts kept circling around the problem of the sunscald southside rows. He didn't want to lose his job over this.

When he heard the lunch break triangle clang, he crawled his way to the closest entrance and emerged from the ground as would a groundhog. Covered from head to toe in dirt, mixed with mud where he was perspiring the most, Gonyaul made his way to the picnic area where all the farmhands would eat together. All but him. Gonyaul's rations were always stationed at the threshold between the field and the communal area, a good distance from the others. By the time he arrived, the mud had practically dried up in the sun and patches of it were crumbling off his person as he ambulated.

It was a small sandwich, filled with a humble slice of meat and cheese, sliced cucumbers, some nuts, and a cup of water. Gonyaul sat down on the ground and enjoyed his meal. All the while, he was still pondering the sunscald issue.

About halfway through eating, he had an idea and quickly scarfed down the rest. He ran towards the equipment shed and retrieved some wooden slats, twine rope, and a cotton tarp. He then hustled these supplies down to the southside rows. A few more trips back and further and he wagered he had collected enough material. Gonyaul then drove the wooden slats along the row into the ground. Using some of the twine he constructed a canopy with some of the other wood slats; like a three dimensional wireframe that went over the row. Next he took his carving knife and snaked the twine through the cloth tarp before attaching the tarp to the wooden slats. He was still busy at work with this process when the lunch break triangle clanged again to get back to work.

He admired his idea. He had basically made a structure along the row with a cloth canopy that went over top the plants. The sides though were not covered by the cloth. His idea was that during the early and later parts of the day when the sun was lower the sunlight would still strike the plants as usual. During the hottest part of the day, the direct sunlight would be filtered by the cotton tarp so the plant was getting some shade. He hoped this would help solve the sunburn problem. He even thought it might be a good idea to wet the cloth during the hottest part of the day as well to provide a little moisture in the air, if this attempt showed promising results.

Satisfied that this would help with the sunburned plants, he went down the row pruning off any damaged leaves. Upon completion he made his way back to the tunnel he left off in before lunch and crawled back inside to get back to work.