Weekly Updates from the Farm

This was a good week, with progress in repairing tunnels damaged in the hail early this season, and more fall planting. The fall squash and apples are excellent, and reminders that fall will arrive in full glory not too long from now.

A common question this time of year is whether the farm is ‘slowing down’ yet. In October, it’s quite the opposite — plus a candid look at this season’s pests and the produce we supplement from other local farms.

What a difference a little cooler weather makes! After the long, hot stretches of summer, we’ve been enjoying cooler mornings, a good week of seeding fall and winter crops, and that unmistakable hint of fall in the air.

There is something especially satisfying about the turn from summer into fall. Leafy greens are coming back, carrots are sizing up, and our appetites seem to change right along with the weather.

The last couple of weeks have been tough ones for the farm — two weeks of extreme heat took their toll on the crops. But the mornings are beginning to feel different, and the spinach, carrots, and kale aren't far off.

The farm is hot, but with it being September there is hope for fall to come — maybe. A look back at the long hours of planting, tending, and harvesting that made this month feel a little more manageable.

Farmers aren't always very good at taking vacations. This week we're heading west for a wilderness adventure in Idaho while the crew keeps the farm going — and that's one of the great gifts of a strong farm community.

August on the farm can be a funny time of year — the peak of summer abundance, and also a bit of an ebb after a very hot July. Farmer Curtis on heat, harvest, and the beauty that shows up right beside the hard parts.

Sarah and I are on an anniversary trip this weekend, so minimal update. The crops are looking good — and if you haven’t tried them yet, the Sugar Cube cantaloupe are really incredible: small, but sweet and delicious.

One of the things I’ve come to appreciate more and more over the years is how much the people around you shape the experience of the work itself. Farming is hard work — but hard work feels very different when you’re doing it with good people.