Last day of August News

The barn swallows at The Hickories gathered for one final party before beginning their long migration to the warmer climes of South America. It is a journey for which they have prepared all summer, each flying up to 600 miles per day in search of insects, their only food source. For us farmers, their departure seems an appropriate time to peek over our shoulders at the months gone by, as well as prepare for those to come.

In a season marked by wildly unpredictable weather, devastating tomato blight, and frightening soil erosion, there is comfort in observing the patterns of the farm that have continued undisrupted. The swallows still fly south, the squirrels still hoard their acorns and hickory nuts, the pasture grasses still grow long, undeterred by mowing. Nature quickly shakes off a sucker punch the likes of this season, and in doing so, teaches us how we might do the same.

Again, our best-learned lesson has been to follow Nature’s lead as we go about our task of farming. With a dazzling palette of weeds, trees, shrubs, and critters, Nature suggests that diversity is a good insurance policy. Our array of sixty-odd crops has confirmed it, proving to be far more resilient than a monoculture of tomatoes could ever be. As we have mourned loss of our tomatoes, the swiss chard, kale, and cabbage have flourished. Indeed, even among the tomato crop, diversity seems to have served us well. Our heirloom Red Zebras and Sungolds have defied the blight to provide an impressive crop, even as the Big Beef have mostly succumbed. Though we don’t pretend to have an explanation for why we still have some of our organic tomatoes, their flavor is as delicious as ever.

Farm Stand – Watermelons, eggplant, peppers, onions, basil, lettuce, cabbage, and yes, TOMATOES! Now that summer vacations are through, be sure to swing by the farm stand to enjoy the late-season bounty. Even better, extend the harvest by storing food for the winter. Freeze an eggplant parmagiana, pickle some peppers and onions, make a pesto for storage. A dollop of homemade tomato sauce in the midst of January makes you smile right through the frostbite. But take a lesson from the squirrels, and don’t waste time: blink, and the opportunity will be missed.

October Field Trips – With temperatures set to dip into the 40’s over the next few nights, October seems suddenly not so far off. Mark your calendars and be sure to visit the farm one weekend. Those of you interested in group hayrides and field trips to our pumpkin patch should contact us during the next few weeks so that we may plan for your visit.

Turkeys and Pigs – Our heirloom variety turkeys and pigs continue to grow by leaps and bounds, fueled by the sun that shines on their pasture grasses. Though they are just a drop in the bucket of locally-raised livestock, we find them an encouraging step towards rebuilding our local foodshed.

All the best,
Rob and Dina