This week was a bit of a drain on all of us. With the cold temperatures in the morning it took a bit of extra energy to get the fall chores accomplished, but by midmorning the sunshine came through strong enough to have us all shedding coats and hats and feeling grateful.
Our focus is on turning over the tunnels to be ready for Spring and finishing up the harvesting–we’re still sending out greens, turnips, and radishes. The need remains strong for fresh vegetables, but our harvest is about to come to an end. Extending this shoulder season harvest will be part of our focus for the 2022 growing season.
The Saturday volunteers are a fun bunch who are always up for whatever task I ask of them. This Saturday it was a whopping 24 degrees. We became a bucket brigade, buckets and buckets of compost for the beds in tunnel 5, and then more buckets to fill the paths with wood chips. I asked for a photo opp on the wood chip pile to celebrate our accomplishment. The crew happily complied!
A fun lunch last week included an heirloom apple tasting from McDougal Orchards. Cathy hosted the tasting with a brief history and description of each apple. We thought it was similar to a wine tasting with all the subtle flavors of other fruits coming through. Maine has so many interesting foods and farms. Aren’t we lucky to be able to live here and enjoy these?
The end is in sight–the days are getting shorter, mornings colder, and our to-do list has only a few more lines on it. Thanks to all of you who are helping us get these tasks wrapped up. Carrie and I are so grateful for the help, and soon we will all be ready for a long Winter’s nap!
~Theda