At an end,

I found this bit lying round in email folder limbo and thought I would post it now because I didn't then and there is no going back to do so so as to ensure its freshness. Does that make any sense?

Season's End
9 Nov 09

All that is left now is to look back on what has past. It would seem that the longest farming season I have yet to farm has ended, already. Also, I am reminded that of all the "Farmer's tans" I have had in my life, this year's was the first from farming!

Funny how a person can be so busy, in the moment or its groove, that he can't see it happening; if one does not stop to breath deep or look up, one can miss whole days.

And how are we to judge a season of CSA a success or failure? I think we have to wait til the start of the next season. Wait and see what Shareholders return, and how many new ones join and participate. Or, I guess, an accounting of bills, income, receipts and feedback...

I must say the food we grew tasted beautiful. What a treat to eat! The best bean I ever ate was yellow and warm from the sun. Pick and eat. Nothing like eating a veggie in the veggie field seconds after harvesting.

Another treat to farming is noticing the surroundings. We spend a lot of time bent over, on all fours, nose to the furrow. The best idea sometimes is stop, for 10 seconds, stand up, look up and around. Where am I? Ahh. Yes. What delicious air and an enjoyable view in all directions.

I feel somewhat a failure, I cannot recall all the varieties of the fruits and vegetables we produced this year. I will try a general list right now:

cherry tomatoes. tomatoes. purple potatoes. red and russet pots too. onions. leeks. garlic. sweet and bell and baby-bell peppers. Hot ones and Italian ones. ground cherries. watermelon. cantelopes. summer squash and winter. corn. filet beans. purple beans and green. lettuce(s). eggplant. okra. pie pumpkin. purple cabbage. broccoli and cauliflower. beets. carrots. chard. kale. basil. cilantro. sweet cherries and pie cherries. brussel sprouts. apples. strawberries. kohlrabi. radish. cucumber. snap peas and shelling peas. collard. dill.