Hear the most recent news from Essex Farm in Essex, NY, directly from Kristin Kimball below:

Fall is such a jumble of firsts and lasts. First days of stunning color in the trees, last days of strong sunshine. Goodbye growing season and all its potential, and hello harvest, which is effort fulfilled. It makes for a bittersweet mix, and that is my favorite flavor. We filled 24 large bins with winter squash this week – about nine tons. The delicata should store in our cellar until December. If we get lucky the butternut will stay sound until February. Members, take quantities home to can or freeze anytime. In the field, broiler chicken season is winding down; a group of chicks went to pasture this week, and the last order of babies arrived to take their place in the greenhouse. The beneficent weather means the corn is nearly secure now, and the soybeans are almost there, too. The potato crop looks promising, but for a little scab, which leaves them rough on the outside but just fine inside.

On the home front, Miranda has stopped taking a reliable nap, which is both good and bad. I can’t count on that quiet pair of hours anymore, but I am no longer tied to the house, either, and can take her with me on farm jobs. On the balance, I’m glad about it. I like to be in the field with her, even if tasks are roughly four times more difficult with a small child in tow…” (Continue reading this Essex Farm Note.)

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