First a couple announcements then on to farm news.
We have a couple of new, seasonal, local, tasty sweet products for sale: maple syrup and honey! The honey comes from bees residing here on our farm but managed by a local bee hobbiest. The maple syrup comes from Sanderson Family Pure Maple Syrup out of Hastings. Both are about as local as we can get! Both can be delivered with your produce to your drop site; on-farm pick-up members can purchase either when you pick-up in the tent. The syrup is $10/pint, $6/half-pint. The honey is $10/12oz jar. Let me know if you’d like us to send some your way.
Don’t forget about the Garlic Planting Gala on Saturday October 7th from 1:00 until done! Learn how to plant garlic, get some fresh air and enjoy lively conversation. This $67 value is yours free with your Fresh Earth Farms membership! Please let me know if you can make it. Dinner and bonfire to follow the planting!
Farm News
Once a year I dedicate the newsletter to the people who work behind the scenes to provide you with the delicious, nutritious, wonderful produce every season. Though I always claim to be the hardest working person in farming there are a few others who desperately try to keep up. Making this farm work is not a one-man job. It takes more people than I can possibly afford. But we make do with what we can and this season our make-doers are some of the best make-doers in the industry. So here are the people you should thank for this season’s bounty.
Many of you have met Rebecca over the years. She has been with us for almost as long as the farm has been around. If it wasn’t for her my job would be twice as hard. She takes a lot of the pressure off trying to manage all the moving parts. If a worker is looking for something to do Rebecca always has an idea. She is an invaluable asset and we are lucky to have her these many years.
I guess next in seniority would be my son Alex. Though only a mere 14 years old he comes across as closer to 14 and a half. Alex has been with us about as long as the farm has been here — he arrived about two weeks after the farm started. He was a little unprepared to start work right away but over the years he’s ramped up his game. He is now a fully functional farm worker with all the responsibilities and benefits it bestows.
Third most senior person would be Linnea. She just started last week yet somehow she is third in seniority? Yes, she has had several stints with us over the years. Linnea tends to wander around the U.S. and with family in the area occasionally wanders our way. And when she is in town she has an open invitation to work on the farm. She is a high energy worker with a ready smile and laugh. No wonder we appreciate her coming back!
Next in line would be Ethan. Ethan worked with us early in the summer before he headed off for his freshman year at University of Guelph. Sounds like someplace in the middle earth! Being part Canadian he fit in well here at the farm. When given a task or two he would forge ahead until it was complete. Nice to have a first time worker who didn’t need constant supervision!
Then there is Isaiah. Isaiah comes to us through his sister Rachel who you may remember from a few years ago. (This was not the first time we’ve had siblings work here at the farm. Linnea’s sister worked here the first year Linnea stopped by and of course Alex’s brother also worked here occasionally). Isaiah has experience at his parents CSA farm in Nebraska so was quite familiar with rescuing plants overrun with weeds. In fact he may have more experience in this aspect of farming than all of us combined! Unfortunately he had to go back to finish his final semester at college this past August.
Finally there is Tony. Tony is another 14 year old who came to us through Alex. Tony and Alex made a great team, much like Abbott and Costello, Laurel and Hardy, Fey and Poehler. They were so in sync that together they accomplished the work of one person! Plus he had a good sense of humor and lent us his “Rick and Morty” DVDs. Pretty close to the perfect farm employee!
We’ve also have a few people to thank for volunteering this summer. Yachiyo and her family came out a couple of times. Great onions and garlic harvesters! Don’t get me started on how well they wash the onions. Pam also came out a couple of times though the second time I don’t think she expected to get so dirty. Funny, she hasn’t been back since… Ali and her son came out to help harvest edamame but chose the hottest day of the year (up until this past week’s hotter day!) Maybe they will be back on a cooler day this fall or next year. Terri helped with the edamame as well but chose a cooler evening time. We all have Scott and Carol to thank for all the delicious potatoes we’ve been enjoying and a special thanks to Scott for helping keep the equipment running. Hopefully I didn’t forget any other volunteers; it’s hard to keep track over the course of the summer.
And finally a special “Thank you!” to my wife Susan who stepped up when we were far short of help at the end of the summer. Her washing a weighing skills were extraordinary. She somehow found the time to help out and still keep her own business running. How does she do it?
Though I am more than happy to take all the credit for all the produce you get each week there is some thanks that needs to be spread around. So “Thank you!” to all the employees and volunteers who helped make this season the most successful ever!
What will we have this week? Potatoes and leeks! Seems like it might be soup weather so how about potato leek soup? We will also have some beans from the third and final planting of beans, some carrots, the eggplants just won’t stop, there will be some tomatoes, kale is still looking great, of course more garlic (it keeps for many months), a few cucumbers though the plants are giving up the ghost, maybe kohlrabi again, some more peppers, and other things that escape me right now.
Fruit, cheese, eggs and seafood (starting Tuesday if it arrives in time, otherwise Wednesday) this week. We’ll keep trying to make bouquets for FlowerShare. It gets more difficult each week. Hopefully everyone like zinnias! Next week’s FlowerShare will be pumpkins!
As always, do not hesitate to send in questions, comments, suggestions and RSVPs for the garlic planting.