What’s been going on!

Fall tugs at us, tempts us and then moves away.  Last week in the mid 80’s, this week back to the 90’s.  It is the hopefulness of cool weather and clear days, of a more relaxed pace and different kinds of work after the months of hot and humid summer.  It starts in early August with a few mornings when you walk out and it is not in the 70’s, as the month progresses you realize that the days are getting noticeably shorter and your morning routine is more rushed, compact, before we have to go out and start the work day.

We see the first poplar leaves turning yellow, the persimmons moving from green to orange, the deer beginning to form groups for the fall rut.  The lettuce we planted under shade cloth, just over a month ago, in an attempt to keep it a bit cooler now begins to stretch and twist looking for more light, do we take the shade off even though the days are still hot, yes but wait for a cloudy day to not stress it too much.

We know that hot days can last up into October but the nights will get cooler and cooler as the earth slowly gives up its summer heat.  The fall crops grow fast in the brilliant light of September, they have to get to size before the first frost comes or they will never make it.  Lots of planting going on these weeks at the same time we are tearing out the tomatoes and mowing down summer flowers and cover crops.  In a few short weeks it will be time to turn under almost all the fields and seed them down to the winter cover crops.  Until then fall will be wrestling itself from the grips of summer.

Picture of the Week

Tomato destruction, vines off the trellis fence, trellis coming down, a dirty job

What’s going to be at the market?

Still a few seats left for our class tonight at A Southern Season Cooking School, this one of course all about peppers!

Maybe the last of the colorful Zinnias and Sunflowers. The wild felt like Crested Celosia’s are still plentiful in more colors each week.  A few Tuberoses.  Hydrangeas for drying.

Of course we will be roasting peppers.  More sweet Colored Bells and Corno di Toros and Cubanelles in sweet peppers. Fewer Anaheims and very few Poblanos this week.   Passillas, Jalapenos, Serranos, Cayennes, Picante Pimento in hots.  Shishitos and  Padrons for appetizers and other uses along and the Aji Dulces, the habanero without heat.

Some beautiful early fall Radishes.  The first Japanese salad Turnips.  Cilantro.  Green Onions and Sweet Red Onions.  More Callaloo, an amaranth green, sautéed in Jamaica like spinach.  Yukina Savoy another fall green is back too along with Summer Crisp Lettuce.  Spaghetti and Acorn Squash.

As a reminder if there is anything that you would like for us to hold for you at market just let us know by e-mail, by the evening before, and we will be glad to put it aside for you.

Hope to see you all at the market!

Alex, Betsy and Jennie

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