It’s gathering season! The time of year that creatures big and small stock their larders in preparation for leaner months ahead. In the woods the acorns are dropping, covering the ground so thick in places that it’s like walking on ball-bearings. The squirrels are hard at work secreting them away in trees and stone walls, while turkeys and deer vacuum them up to “store” as an extra layer of body fat. Last week we even gathered 20 pounds into knapsacks in a matter of minutes from under a single tree. Rather than store them for ourselves (nope, not subsisting on acorn flour over here!) we walked through the woods tossing them into hedgerows and brush piles in hopes of future seedlings.
In the pick-your-own garden we’ve been seeing flocks of birds harvesting seeds from the flowers as they mature and go to seed. The goldfinch seem to particularly love the cosmos, making the garden bright and colorful even as the petals start to brown and fall. The early sunflowers are like a towering seed buffet in the Bonus PYO garden. We’ve got more than enough to go around, so feel free to clip a few heads to take home to the birds at your house.
And of course, the gathering continues in our veggie fields! Winter squash and sweet potatoes are in, curing in large bins in the heated shop. We gleaned the last of the eggplant this week before tilling the plants in for the season. Potatoes are next on the list for digging, and with more frost in the forecast we’ll likely harvest the last of the peppers this week, too. Our coolers and root cellar are filling up for fall and winter distribution, and I’ve got tomatoes to can this weekend. I guess we haven’t evolved too far from our animal instincts, after all!
Cheers
Norah and the Sweetland Crew
Week20 Harvest
Tomatoes Kale Rainbow Chard Tatsoi Sweet Peppers Arugula Spicy Greens Mix Spinach Corn Carrots Radishes Brussels Sprouts Kohl Rabi Delicata Squash Candy Roaster Squash Spaghetti Squash Garlic Leeks Cherry Tomatoes Celery
What’s Cooking This Week
You can find ingredients for all of these recipes in our farm store! We source meats, dairy, grains, beans, sweets, and more from local and sustainable producers. Don’t forget to use your CSA member discount by entering your account phone number in our POS (member discounts are automatically applied to LocalLine purchases for off-farm delivery).
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Veggie Stir Fry with leeks, garlic, celery, peppers, carrots, & kohl rabi