Who’s Next???

That is the question on our minds now each day as we walk the fields and evaluate the tunnels, deciding what is still worth keeping and who’s head so to speak is on the chopping block. So far our choices have been easy enough. We’ve said goodbye to half of the Jungle where the melons and pole beans had resided. Of course Sven and Mizuna were also easy choices. Being the two houses with heat they are planted earliest in the Spring and are usually the first choices for Summer to Winter conversion. It’s hard to say for sure but more than likely the next tunnel to go will be the 2nd cherry tomato planting in Hartley. Though we may have not fully committed to to the idea( it is always hard to let go) we do know that with each passing day the chance to plant successfully for the coming months is a little less. So more than likely it is time to say goodbye to that tomato planting, we’ll pull down the plants, roll them up and pile them onto the compost heap. Next we’ll clean up the ground, prep the beds, dramatically changing the tunnel’s landscape.

Of course as important as getting the tunnels ready for the season to come is we would certainly be remissed to neglect what is still going on outside. We are at the point where there is realistically less than a month left to plant anything outside that won’t be overwintered. Also we can’t forget there is still a lot more to be done outside than just planting, after all there is still much harvesting to be done. This week in addition to the usual suspects that you know, love and see weekly at the markets we plan to finish harvesting this year’s potatoes. Depending on how well your memory is you may recall from last year, the case of the broken potato harvester. A rollercoaster of a tragic tale which essentially left us digging the potatoes “old school style”. Well this Summer with a replacement part in hand Joel went to fix the potato digger only to find that upon taking a few things apart to reassemble, we did not have all the parts needed. So a few different parts orders later and a trip to the mechanic for some reconstruction expertise and for all intents and purposes the harvester should be operational. Or should we rather say the PTO driven portion of the digger, we did harvest five rows with just the under cutter from the implement two weeks ago but hopefully this week we shall see the potato digger fully operational and in all its glory.

In all of it’s glory is a excellent description for the way things can look this time of year. All the hard work we’ve been putting in throughout the season has been paying off and as things begin to slow and fields fill up it can be hard to deny the power behind the Good Food Movement. It can be likened to the ecosystem that exists in the fields of organic veg. A lot of different factors and players coming together to make something that is not only beautiful and life giving but arguably sustainable at the same time. The seed growers, those who make our compost, all the hard work and sweat from the farm crews, the organizations that put on the farmer’s markets and of course all of you eaters, the Good Food People. It all comes together into a synergistic Community, simple, wholesome and real.

Have a Great Week