Humble Pie Farm

We started harvesting watermelon this week. Oh boy, E is pumped. He keeps trying to harvest the not quite ripe ones, much to Papa's chagrin. He actually wants to sell some of those, not just eat 'em all. These guys really love watermelon. They think I'm weird because I'm not a big fan. I don't hate it, I just don't love it. I do love what it symbolizes on our farm.

Watermelon is not just a fruit in our world. It's a big sign that the bounty, and the fullness, and sometimes craziness of the season is definitely in full swing. And it symbolizes so much about farming food. Its sumptuous, messy, super sweet deliciousness is what is so wonderful about eating seasonally, and with earth's patterns. It's the reward for all the work. And you eat so much when it's around you actually get sick of it, and then just as soon, it's done producing and we're on to fall crops. Then you start to look forward to it in March or so. There's something good about waiting for something, enjoying the smack out of it, then letting it go until next year.

We're feeling pretty good going into August with an herbicide drift and major storm under our belts. Okay, I'll stop talking about it. It was a traumatic time, and an amazing bit of perspective for us. We're grateful for the experience, and for all the help and support we got afterward. And we're learning A LOT about farming up on this beautiful ridge.

We had a some sweet friends come to visit and help us "paint" the barn, and play in the field a bit. Keep us on your travel list, everyone, we LOVE when folks come to visit over here. After living and learning on a community-run farm with folks coming and going everyday, this has been a new experience, and the reality is that we love having people around, enjoying all this wide-open space with us.

Check out this full cooler. So exciting. We meant to put in shelves, and that bit of unpainted floor is E's spot that just hasn't gotten painted...but this is how it goes. We do what we can, fall into bed and get up and do it again until October. 

And in the field, there's more coming. The long daylight, the heat, the water, the wind-stress, whatever the myriad of reasons...everything is beginning to bloom.

Sarma is our harvest queen. She's rocking it in all ways, and has proven to be a natural, making bouquets, and learning the flowers. We feel so grateful to have her with us this year.

And there's Lindsey on Thursdays. She and her sweet family are working on their own farm across the river valley, and bring exciting stories of ducks and chickens and the other animals in their care. 

We also have our farm manager, E. He recently told his caregiver that he has been promoted to farm manager from flower picker because he was stepping on the flowers. Hmm. Did we really say that? He really does run the farm. And as soon a we get a battery in his kids gator, he has some big ideas about changing up harvest. 

This here's the view of a normal harvest day. As with most of the big harvest Thursdays this year, we get some sort of rainstorm at about 5:30 am when we're supposed to start harvest at 6. So we wait a bit, then set up the fans, and let the sun and wind to dry it out. Then we harvest like crazy and make bouquets like crazy, and pack 'em all up to bring to you.

We're going to have a harvest party on October 8th. Please come and hang out with us. Next year we'll have an earlier party when more flowers are in bloom, but for this crazy year, we'll have a harvest party with a bonfire, and fall colors, and dare I say it today, cool weather. 

Be well, and stay cool,
J,M+E