A pleasant, warm, dry and quick week on the farm. In fact the time seems to be growing more pleasant, strangely a bit warmer, increasingly dryer and oh so quick, I can hardly tell that a week has passed. Where is the time going? I think I’ve been sinking my time into digging, clipping, cutting, bunching and bagging veggies galore all so that all of my time can be gobbled up by your grumbling bellies. It’s a challenge, but a worthy one at that.
The leaves on the trees are beginning to turn here and I have been noticing the absence of the song birds. I think the birds are all getting a little lazy about waking up in the morning with the heavy dew, increasingly later sunrise and sense that the summer days are ending. Maybe they’re all morning in their nests or planning their trip south for the winter. Where are they all? Having their last supper with all of the children they’ve raised this summer? How I will miss the songbirds and come to despise the crows as they dominate the sound-space of the fall air with their arguing and crowing.
Most of our planting is done for the season, except for our fall garlic and shallots that we will plant in late October. The weeds are beginning to slow down and it’s right about this time of year that we start to win the battle over the weeds because they begin to give up, and we’re still hard at it. But for the most part, I would have to say that the weeds clobbered me this summer, if it really was a battle between us and them. We’ll be battleing their children next summer from all the trillions of weed seeds that are sprinkled all over the field from beds that are not being harvested from any more.
I’m not packing up my tools to put them in the shed just yet. The fun is just getting started. We still have a long way to go until the finish line. A field of potatoes to dig, three beds of carrots to dig and all of our fall brassicas to manage. Although the weather man says there isn’t any frost in the near future, now is the time that we begin to prepare ourselves for it. So much left to harvest in what seems like so little time. But I must say, that all of the fall veggies are my personal favorite. I love the combination of cool weather with warming foods on a warm day with a cool breeze in my long sleeved flannel. We should all write poems about how lovely fall is.
Celery-Strong celery flavor. The good ones are getting picked over, but they still look pretty decent. There is some slug damage, believe it or not, that’s quite considerable. But, it’s better than no celery at all.
Nantes Carrots- Can you tell that they’re getting sweeter as fall draws nearer?
Kohlrabi– They’re back for their big finale!
Sweet Corn– Finally it’s here, and (knock on wood), this is the very FIRST year that we have not had a problem with the raccoons! We think it’s because we planted them in the middle of the field, combined with our fierce, protective dog, Charlie. Thank you, Charlie!
Yellow and Purple Beans– Another couple weeks of beans!
Hungarian Hot Wax Peppers or Jalapeno Peppers– Sometimes these little guys are hot and sometimes they’re not. It’s a bit of a hit or miss. When they are hot, they’re one of the most mild of all of the hot peppers. Jalapenos are a bit hotter!
Tomatoes– Enjoy them while they last. Going, going, g………
Green Peppers– A pepper or two for all. Stores best in a plastic bag in fridge.
Eggplant– The best eggplant year we’ve ever had. Not my favorite veggie in the world, personally, but they just look sooooo yummy! And the plants are so prolific! Eggplants are fragile and they’ll keep best in a plastic bag in fridge, but not for too terribly long.
Next Week! A short list of items that we may have next week, but will not promise to have. Due to the unexpectedness of the season and perishable nature of produce, anything could pop up or go down hill unexpectedly.
Green Cabbage, Beets, Sweet Corn, Green and Purple peppers, Hot peppers, Eggplant, Yellow and Purple Beans, Celery, Kohlrabi, Onions, Garlic
