Throughout the month, the temperatures have stayed high. Plants in the farm and garden are producing like mad, giving me an overwhelming harvest. The units in my CSA share climbed from 7 to 10 units. My fridge, which I share with 3 roommates, is crammed full. Sometimes it doesn’t all fit. I also have more plants than my small herb business needs. These last few months, I’ve been harvesting and drying and packaging, which took up most of my free time.
While the harvest is overwhelming, it is undoubtedly spectacular—a testament to a positive collaboration between people and nature to bring forward life that will sustain more life.
It’s the richest, most joyous, most meaningful season. The final crescendo to the months of persistent work. To grow and harvest and process and eat these plants from the land here gets to the root of being human. Of course, “being human” is more that, but repairing the connection to our food and the land its grown is a vital piece.
A few highlights:
- A pile of the crunchiest, sweetest peppers from my garden
- Watching the elderberries ripen and then harvesting and making medicinal syrup for the first time
- Being surprised with lavender blooms that weren’t supposed to come this year
- Cut Zinnias to brighten up my room
- “Foraging” the farm for medicinal goodies and cherry tomatoes
- Trying new recipes with CSA vegetables
- St. John’s Wort flowers turning the tincture a deep red
- My last herb sale of the year and feeling incredibly accomplished
- Tulsi flowers buzzing with honeybees
- Feeling so so busy but so so grateful
