Whew! It has been busy, busy, busy. It has been a loooong time since I have done a photo update, our posts have been a bonanza of apple facts and CSA box content. Here are some photos from over the last couple of weeks, which have been filled with multiple markets, the most abundant apple harvest we have yet experienced, CSA harvest and deliveries (we just finished week 14) and a fall member potluck.
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| Packing shed and clouds. |
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| Thelma Sanders acorn squash. |
Winter squash has been delivered in CSA boxes now; both acorn and butternut.
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| King of the North red bell pepper. |
Red peppers are slowly ripening. Real veggies have variability, they don't all look exactly the same - I love that.
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| Marconi Red Italian frying pepper. |
The pigs have been enjoying the spoils of apple harvest. Receiving a multiple 5 gallon buckets of apples per day. We haven't been able to bring them out to the orchard yet, as we were not confident in bringing piglets off our farm, out of supervision (oh, teenagers). This has meant more work for us cleaning up apples, but we may be able to get the herd out there yet this season.
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| Vera having a regular apple snack. |
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| Jostling position for the best snacks - Suzy, PBJ, Elsa and Dafney. |
Look at this beautiful bed of cover crops! Protecting the soil and feeding the soil microorganisms. Caring for the beds, after we are finished with them for the season. The tops of the buckwheat was burned by the frost, but it's still standing. It will be scythed and worked into the soil to adds wonderful organic matter (beneficial for building soil health and structure).
A view of part of the field, with row covers for protection from cool temps. We cover the tomatoes, peppers, ground cherries and basil.
Earlier in September, before apple harvest really took off, John took time for a short break up North. He crossed an item off of his bucket list - harvesting wild rice. Ricing is done by canoe, with traditional harvest tools. John and Eugene harvested one full day, 9 am - Noon, and brought in 20 lbs for processing. John was also able to stay over with our friends Mike and Marina, who have
Farmucopia farm and have been amazing mentors and friends over many years now.
Apples are in abundance this year! John's dedicated and passionate orcharding over the past few years is really showing in the current health and productivity of the trees. You can find our freshest and newest varieties at the Saturday farmers' market at Runnings (9 am - Noon), at the
New Ulm Community Market & Co-op every other Saturday (9 am - 1 pm), Tauer's SuperValu in Springfield, or by contacting us at any time!
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| McIntosh are currently in season. |
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| German Red garlic at the farmers' market. |
Heirloom zinnias add color to the vegetable garden.
John harvesting McIntosh. We have a
Apples page on our website that we are building to bring you all the information you need about each of our varieties, what is in season and what is coming up next for harvest. We hope this is helpful for you :)
Both of us up in the tree harvesting by ladder.
John just brought home the first picking of Wealthy and Cortland last night, so expect some more apple facts coming your way! We feel so fortunate to have so many great
heirloom apples in this orchard, without planting them ourselves.
Wealthy was discovered circa 1860 and Cortland circa 1915. Many more great heirloom apples to come this season and in future seasons, as our new grafts begin to produce.
See you at the farmers' market this Saturday!
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