“I don’t know yet.”
Harland shook his head.
“Your father doesn’t have forever.”
Toby knew.
The chemical-program deadline was approaching.
Daniel had to decide whether to borrow.
At dinner that night, Daniel finally addressed it directly.
“I’ve delayed Harland three times.”
Toby stopped eating.
“He says if we want the full schedule, we have to commit soon.”
“How soon?”
“A week.”
Toby stared at his plate.
Daniel continued.
“I gave you an experiment.”
“I didn’t give you the farm.”
“I know.”
“I need an answer.”
“I need three more weeks.”
“Toby.”
“Not three months.”
“Three weeks.”
Daniel leaned back.
“Why?”
“Because some of the pest stages haven’t shown enough yet.”
“And I need enough time to total labor and feed properly.”
Daniel shook his head.
“If we wait three weeks, Harland’s program changes.”
“I know.”
“Could cost more.”
“I know.”
“Could be too late for some treatments.”
“I know.”
Daniel’s voice sharpened.
“Stop saying you know.”
Toby went silent.
His father immediately regretted the tone.
He rubbed his face.
“I’m sorry.”
Toby waited.
Daniel looked toward the window.
“I’m scared.”
It was the first time he said the word.
Not worried.
Not concerned.
Scared.
Toby looked at him.
Daniel continued.
“I spent my whole life thinking if I worked hard enough, I could keep this place safe.”
“Then last year happened.”
“I did everything I knew.”
“Still lost money.”
“Now Harland gives me something I understand.”
“Expensive.”
“Yes.”
“But I know what it is.”
“You’re asking me to trust something neither one of us understands yet.”
Toby’s voice softened.
“I’m not asking you to trust it.”
“Then what?”
“Trust the test.”
Daniel stared at his son.
Toby reached for the notebook.
“If the numbers are bad, I tell you.”
“I stop.”
“No excuses.”
“No saying next year.”
“If it loses money, it loses money.”
Daniel looked at the pages.
Then at Toby.
“Three weeks.”
Toby exhaled.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me.”
Daniel stood.
“I may regret this.”
The next three weeks were the hardest of the experiment.
Toby stopped trying to make the orchard look good.
He measured failures as carefully as successes.
Bird losses.
Feed.
Repair materials.
Hours.
Water hauling.
Egg production.
Reduced cleanup.
Pest counts.
Tree condition.
Ground damage.
Sections requiring recovery.
He began timing ordinary jobs.
How long did it take to remove fallen apples from untreated rows?
How long from chicken-managed rows?
How much mowing was needed?
How many feed bags were used?
How many eggs could be sold?