We feel the changes in the weather in a subtle manner around here. Not that the temperatures haven’t dropped (rather drastically), they have – but the humidity has not, so it isn’t more pleasant, yet. But my tomato plants are still green and standing (well – they are weighed a bit down with all their little cherry goodness), the bean leaves are not wilty and the Fall raspberries are still ripening. We are emotionally ready to tuck in this year. Physically – we still have things to do like plant Fall bulbs (and put away the tubers!) and garlic, cage the apple trees, mulch the garden, trim out all Browntail Moth nests, and much foraging. I say this as my garden Cosmos and the Sunchokes in the back field are still blooming and swaying tall and gracefully – that’s how ready we are to focus on less right now.
It was a nice Seasonal change though – a few lovely friends came to celebrate (and eat a Roasted Pig’s Head with Sourdough Flatbreads/various Pickles/Deviled Eggs/Mess o’ Greens/Watermelon/Homestead Peach Crisp) and listen to Josh’s apparently rare musical talents (can you tell his family wished it were not so rare?!). We had a good apple harvest (though we might have left more than we gathered this year), and a surprisingly good grape harvest. We got our first little 2-handed harvest of hazelnuts and I harvested a late season Red Clover batch yesterday, along with some Boneset, Comfrey, Calendula, and Juniper berries. The garden is still producing copious amounts of Pole Beans (like magickal green and purple curtains), Cherry Tomatoes, Ground Cherries, Basil, and we’re still waiting on the ripening of Purple Tomatillos and Wonderberries.
There have been some lovely days, too: forays to the Farmer’s Market and downtown Hallowell to get (D’s first) gelato and sit by the river. There have been nice breezy days for kite flying and harvesting/foraging/picking. May you have a marvelous Autumn~
Rock Bottom Homestead 