I am always amused when after a hard freeze or frost people come up to me and say “Well, you must be just about done in the fields.” While it is true that works pace slows and harvesting urgency lessens, it is hardly a time of less work. Truth be told I enjoy that first hard frost, if only to give me a break from the summer heat and repeated pickings of perishable produce. But the short-lived break of embracing autumn is replaced by a similar urgency to get work done before snow flies. What sort of work needs to be done? Of course there is still some harvesting to be done of broccoli, cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, lettuce, spinach, carrots, beets, popcorn, cauliflower, beans, maybe peas, and in the greenhouse, peppers and tomatoes. But other work includes cleaning up the fields by removing plants, tilling, taking down fences and trellising, removing or adding mulch in certain areas, adding manure or compost to the fields, and planting garlic. Harvesting, watering, and winterizing all are needing to be done in the greenhouse. Then there are odd jobs that are always on your mind, but never on top of your list, such as shelling beans or popcorn, fixing equipment, building storage areas, doing soil tests, and just plain cleaning up areas that I have let go. I haven’t even touched on office work like data entry (sales, seeding, and harvesting), making field maps, seed ordering for 2023, updating our online presence, and communicating with supporters or businesses. All this time, we are still packing up orders and attending weekend markets. So, even though the work changes and some days at work bring unexpected challenges, sometimes you have to stop, take a breath, look around and enjoy the beautiful creation.
Speaking of beautiful, please come and take some of our beautiful fall decorations home. We have gourds in all shapes, sizes, and colors, some pumpkins, and plenty of winter squash, and beautiful pink popcorn. Also available:
Carrots
Beets
Cabbage
Spinach
Kale
Beans
Tomatoes
Peppers
Radishes
Broccoli
Potted Rosemary Plants!
Enjoy the fall colors and wonderful sunshine!