September 17th, 2019
What’s in your share?
Fennel
Radicchio
Broccoli
Head Lettuce
Japanese Turnips
Scallions
Sweet Peppers
Garlic
It’s hard to believe that the fall solstice is already upon us. The beginning of the season feels like forever ago, yet, all of a sudden it seems like the days are significantly shorter and the outward energy of summer is drawing further and further inwards. There’s only a few more weeks of seeding and planting, the summer crops are slowing down as the nights get colder, and the main storage crops of garlic, onions and potatoes have all been harvested.
Last week we got 2.5 inches of rain in one night. It was pretty wild to see the impact of that much rainfall at once. And honestly, I think initially it looked worse than it was. It seemed as though our first inch of topsoil had slid into the aisles and washed away, along with yesterday’s seeding of radishes, turnips and spinach. Luckily, our system of permanent raised beds, oriented to the natural slope of the land, enabled the water to drain out through the field, preventing significant erosion and loss of soil nutrients. Even the seeds we thought were lost began to germinate with the next day’s sun.
It’s crazy how much is out of our control, in farming and in life overall. You can try to be prepared in every way possible, but sometimes you can only do so much and life and farming become a practice of letting go. I often feel like each farming season is this epic marathon—everyday you do as much as you can, and at the end of the day, you hope that it’s enough.
Yet, with each season, you become more proficient and knowledgeable. You gain this almost instinctual awareness; you can anticipate what needs to be done. More often than not, this progression occurs through trial and error. Sometimes you need to dig the drainage ditch 200 feet in the wrong direction before you realize you’re going the wrong way. And then hopefully you don’t ever do that again. In farming, there is so much more to know beyond growing food. You have to be a scientist, a builder, a plumber, adept in marketing and business, a teacher. It’s dynamic in ways most people don’t realize and ways I never expected.
As we adapt to the land, the changing climate, our community and to each other, we are constantly growing as farmers and within ourselves. This year has already been transformative in so many ways, and we’re grateful to have shared that journey with all of you.