Why I have not blogged in 2 weeks ... or, the wilds of September

Here is what our orchards look like at this time of year. The herbicide in the tree row has long since worn off. The grass has not been mowed since late August when Darren was last on the tractor. (He is back studying in Winnipeg - and the orchards miss him!)

So instead of blogging, I got on the tractor finally and cut the grass.

With the fruit all harvested, we have had time to continue mulching the tree rows. 

Now the orchards are looking much better - more like this! Quite an improvement I would say!

All of our students have returned to school - both high school and university. Any work that has to be done, has to be done by the few of us remaining on the farm. The tomato patch looks wild & abandoned, but surprisingly still is producing a respectable amount of tomatoes. Certainly the quality has gone down - we probably have to throw out more than we can salvage & sell, mostly due to cracking and decay. But they still taste great!

So on my non-market days I can be found out picking tomatoes - not blogging!

No students also means no one to pack the remaining fruit. While peaches & nectarines are picked, packed & sold, there are still pears and plums to be sorted, packed and taken to market. So, instead of blogging - packing fruit.

 

Blackberry season came to an abrupt end on Friday. Monday we still picked and while the quantity & quality had diminished, there was still enough good tasting berries to justify picking. Then on Thursday it rained. Friday I went out to taste test before we sent anyone in to pick - there were no berries to taste. Anything left was rotten, grey & fuzzy from the rain. Only the odd clump of plump berries here & there - not enough to spend the time picking (just enough for us to wander through the patch & eat!).

However, even among the weeds & wildness there is beauty & freshness.

...some flowers we seeded and then forgot about, some self seeded dill, and our first ever attempt at fall cabbages.

...lettuce, kale & cabbage for fall.