Hello Farm Friends,
The sun was just creeping up over the horizon yesterday morning as I wrote this. Conner had taken off for market with Poz, cold hands, truck full of Fall goodness. It was the last outdoor market of the season. We made it!
This week on the farm has been surprisingly warm and dry. I walked the field yesterday and marveled at the beautiful texture of the soil. If it weren't for shortening day length we'd be cramming to get things planted! As it goes we're excited to soon be blanketing the tired beds with seeds that will grow into a lush carpet of Nitrogen-rich cover. Green manures, or cover crops, are a critical component of our regenerative farming system. In the summer we love having phacelia to flower and feed the bees. Sometimes we'll squeeze in a quick planting of buckwheat to add a little more organic matter and provide additional habitat for beneficial insects. Fall though is when we have a great opportunity to put a big part of the fields to rest. Generally we'll sow a mix of winter hardy grasses and legumes that will work together to fix Nitrogen, provide winter cover from the rains, and add ample organic matter back in the Spring. This year will be no different. The seeds will go in next week, before the rains, and get settled for a winter of slow growth.
And we will too. Slow and steady growth on a diet of greens, winter squash, roots, and alliums (onions, garlic, leeks, etc).
This weekend was full of activities in support of our work with Rogue Farm Corps- hosting Poz, our intern, through that program. We had a closing dinner on Saturday night and hosted a long afternoon tour and class on conservation today. (Hence this late email.) It was a nice excuse to dig out old photos of the farm and celebrate all the work we've put into conservation and restoration. A lot of love has gone into this place- yours and ours. We'll care for this land as long as we're able and are so grateful to be given the chance.
With full hearts,
Sarah + Conner
