september

It's that time of year when parts of the garden are looking a bit messier, 

vegetables damaged or missed,

leaves curling, lettuce bolting,

weeds I haven't thought of pulling...

But also the time of year of 

garlic drying and

hay mows filling,

of endless harvesting

and signs of the seasons changing.

As we transition to our school year, we have some changes, too.  Our shy, apprehensive sixth grader expressed a strong interest in trying the small, village middle school.  He is going to school all week this week to try it out.  As much as I missed him here today,  I love to see how he is being brave and giving this a try.  Our family rhythm shifts a bit in September, while still carrying on the schedule of summer markets and harvests.

flowers

There are flowers all over the farm right now.

I'm terrible at maintaining perennials, but I do save seed from my zinnias and cosmos every year...and they come up great for me.  I also bought some cut flower mix, nasturtium and marigold seeds from Fedco Seeds and those are blooming and beautiful right now.

Sunflowers grow everywhere on our farm.  I mentioned in my last "around the farm" post about these volunteer sunflowers.  After tearing up our backyard this spring for some work we had to do, the turned-over soil sprouted thousands of sunflowers.  It was amazing.  I convinced Adam to leave me a large area (that was where the boys' nature garden had been).  They are so thick, they're choking out the milkweed that had been such a large part of that garden.

Morning glories sprout all over the farm, too.  So, each spring I transplant morning glories and sunflowers until I finally have to pull some up, pass some along to friends (or let them grow because I don't have the heart to pull them--like the last photos of them coming up in the middle of my flowers and ferns near our house)
I'm so thankful for flowers on the farm.

Our co-op is hiring!

Our little co-op in Western-central Vermont is hiring a new general manager.  It is a small, community-grown market in a very quaint Vermont town.

I'm sending this out to blog readers in case anyone has a good place to share this job opportunity.

Find details here! :)

making hay

A friend cut a small field he owns for us to bale up just before more rain comes tomorrow.

Not a lot of bales, but a good start to our second cut.  

around the farm

For years, I have been using my old lenses (many from the 70s) with an adaptor on my digital camera.  I found a great deal on a used digital lens that actually allows me to use more features on my camera.  No more ultra manual everything-ha!  I realize now how I could never get a good, crisp focus (despite those high quality lenses) because of that adaptor.  

Anyway--busy, hot days on the farm!  Missing this past weekend when we got to spend every day at our favorite swimming hole while some dear friends were up visiting.

always helping Papa

Tulip

tomatoes and melons

hand plows (...and stroller)

selling so much corn at the farmstand

the barn

Becky (everyone's favorite)

learning to pump

grapes

corn!

overgrown flowers- 

(I don't have the heart to pull the morning glories that keep taking over)

overgrown ferns

'volunteer' sunflowers

fermenting cukes (and the great view from my pantry)

What's going on around your farm, garden or homestead?