Fall is in the air.

Hard to believe but we’re more than half way through 2015. Pumpkins and other winter squash are ripening. The corn is finished, much to the disappointment of our local customers. Tomatoes are ripe and the melons are so aromatic the bees are tumbling around in their flowers. The pictures should speak louder than my words.

August 11, just before the onions began drying down.

August 23, onions drying down

Paul preps the field for planting chicories.

Winter squash is thriving, with Santos planting chicories in the background.

Serrano peppers are loaded!

Two types of lettuce, ready to transplant, with a bed all ready.

Four successions of sunflowers, planted every two weeks.

Eggplant! The first planting was lost. This crop is coming very soon.

Fennel and radicchio dot the field.

Our kales and other greens have had a hard summer.

The next two crops of beans. We’ve been gapping on beans. They should be back at the market next week…

Giant pumpkins are revealing themselves by the Farm Stand.

“Sunshine” kabocha squash

Shallots and red onions dry under the big old oak. Nice place for the bees, huh?

Headed toward Fall

We have had our hands full between the markets and restaurants and the new farm stand.

Pollinators abound in the tithonia.

In the background is the consistent planning and planting new beds of vegetables for sale in the months to come. The early planting of winter squash is almost ready to be picked. The acorn squash are the biggest we have ever seen.

Delicata squash are looking plentiful.

Butternut squash have beautiful markings before they turn tan.

The artichokes have surprised us. They are popping out all over even though we expected them to start in November or December.  This is certainly a crop we are learning about.

Artichokes are strong, already!

To add to the normal summer chaos, we are leasing almost 5 acres of land adjacent to the property Paul has been working for all these many years. It’s got some drawbacks (it’s the low spot on the property and much of the soil is quite sticky clay) but we are thrilled and Paul has been mowing, putting water out and tilling.

These two majestic Valley Oaks are on the property.

Mowing clearly shows the different soil types. This ground hasn’t had anything done with it for at least 20 years.