Hey y’all – All of fall has arrived! Before I get too far into things…YES Monday is a holiday and YES the pickup will be the usual time. If you want to come early (after 1), mention it in the notes and I should be able to accommodate you.
I’m pretty sure I’ve said this before, but this has to be my favorite time of year. YES, I can say that with a straight face even after a week of 50s and feeling like Nora is constantly blowing raspberries in my face. Not that I particularly enjoy constantly being spat on but the forecast coming up is downright spectacular. I much prefer when the high and low ADD up to 100 instead of it being 100. 60s during the day, 40s at night…doesn’t get much better in my book.
Amongst the spitty weather, we had our last farmers market of the season last week. Unfortunately it kept with the market theme and was a dud (we moved indoors on account of the weather). I took a TON of stuff to the market, and brought a TON of stuff back. When it’s all said and done, missing 7 out of 16 markets (and might as well count last week as 8) will really hit the bottom line hard, but right now I’m thrilled to strike that obligation from the weekly list. The market committee dwindled down to myself and the market manager, who had as much time to dedicate to it as I did. If any of you want to see the market continue, let me know (because it won’t without you next year)! It really isn’t that big of a commitment…as long as we have more than one volunteer!
More importantly, last week was also Nora’s first birthday. She went from taking a few steps a few days ago to walking laps around the Municipal Center gym at the market on Wednesday . She is the goofiest one year old I know, and I love her to death. Hopefully she’ll join me out in the garage after nap to show off her walking skills.
The garden continues to impress, even this late in the season. However, I think for the first time since June, the list actually shrank a bit. While a few things came off the list, some of my favorites reappeared. #1 being pea tendrils. A delicacy that only comes around twice a year, just wait till the purple (edible) flowers open up! Next week perhaps? The list reflects the changing seasons, and yet somehow the tomatoes are still cranking. Get them while you can because this may be their last week! If I can strike up the nerve, I will be taking out the tunnel tomato plants in favor of planting greens in the remaining beds.
It’s a hard decision to take out a healthy, productive planting, but it’s a frequent decision I have to make this time of year. I have been selectively removing rows in the field with an eye on soil health for next year. There comes a point in the season when it’s too late to establish a cover crop to feed the soil and prevent it from eroding all winter long. We’re coming up on that date! But that’s a whole newsletter topic on its own and it’s getting late and I’ve rambled enough already. Cheers to those still reading, see you Monday!
Veggie Ordering and Pickup Procedures: Put your veggie orders in online before 8pm Sunday. The website is a little buggy so if you don’t see a wide variety of items or you see items out of stock, try refreshing your browser. Also confirm on checkout that you have the correct number of each item in your cart. The two pickup windows are working well, so we’ll keep it going. Choose your pickup window while checking out online: 1230-2pm and 4-5pm Monday on the farm at 64 Potter Hill Rd in Grafton. Pickups are in the long white garage on the left across from the beat up tan and red barn at the crest of the hill.