A slice of the past, present, and future. So much can change in just 3 months:
August – the month when all the things are happening at once, but the whispers of the “end of summer” begin. August was dry – very dry – and cooler than expected. The daily temperatures were fairly normal but the evening temperatures were surprisingly low – great for the farmers but not great for everything that likes the heat. Along with the normal day to day tasks of the farm, equipment kept failing us in all kinds of ways. It was a great test in patience and problem solving, and we came out on the other side just fine. The dragonflies were a constant presence above our heads as we weeded, irrigated, harvested, and hydrated. The bounty from the fields kept growing along with our appetites and we were in awe of the vibrant colors of the vegetables and flowers.
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September – my favorite time of the year is finally here. September is by far the best time to be a farmer. It’s a sweet and special time to notice the shift in seasons and energy around the farm. We are able to pause and appreciate the sights, sounds, and smells all around us. The daily temperatures are delightful, we’re finding praying mantises in the fields, and monarchs are floating by as we work. So many vegetables are ready to pick and admire while the promise of slower, quieter days are within reach. We stop talking about cookouts and our favorite slaw recipes and start sharing our favorite soup and cookie recipes. We stop planting vegetables to harvest and begin seeding cover crops in areas of the fields we are finished with. The onions that were laying out in the greenhouse to cure are now in storage for us to distribute for the remainder of the season.
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October – the last month for harvesting but not quite the end of farm work. We will begin to take a very close look at evening temperatures to keep an eye out for frost. The leaves on the trees will shimmer and change color before we know it. We will arrive at work with more layers on and stiffer muscles that will take longer to wake up. After the Equinox in September, the warmth of the sun will seem so very precious as it gets lower in the sky and our shadows become so much l-o-n-g-e-r. Nights will begin to take over and the real urge to hibernate will begin. As we wrap up work in the fields, we will extend the season in the greenhouses and grow greens for our winter share – making them a tropical oasis on cold days. There will still be much to do, but everything is done with less urgency than before. We will move with much more intention and gratitude for making it through another beautiful season on the farm.
Until next time,
Ember
