I told you Autumn was coming! Hard to believe we were roasting hot so recently, as we wake up in the dim misty mornings thinking about multiple comforters and firing up the wood stove, but here we are.

The leaves are starting to change colors, the tomatoes are slowing down, and the mice are trying to start nests alongside our own. Thoughts of winter plans are intensifying, moving from vague notions to anxious 3 am ponderings, bullet point lists, and tentative Google-mapped routes.

Looks like we might return to Habitable Spaces in Texas for part of the journey, where they are also feeling the gavel of climate change – with weeks of triple digit temperatures throughout their summers now, they will be breaking ground rather literally, as they explore building structures buried down into the ground, in search of a more sustainable cool than stick built and air-conditioned structures dependent upon an increasingly unreliable and expensive electrical grid. Perhaps we can have Widget help us …

And really driving it home …. today during the harvest we covered up the sweet pepper plants with row cover fabric … because there’s a good chance it could frost before tomorrow’s dawn.

The season’s end is in sight – and so we did finally decide on a date for the 10th Annual Farm Party … Sunday, October 8th. Wandering Fire will be catering the gathering with wood-fired, free-will-donation pizzas, and I’m sure we will have a bonfire, and a crowd of good human beings with which to mingle and conversate.

As usual, it’ll be laid back and casual – feel free to bring a dish or a drink to share if you’re inspired, or just yourself and your posse, there will be plenty to enjoy. More info to follow, or feel free to ask questions or make suggestions!

My dad and his wife are here visiting this week, so that’s all I’m gonna write for now.!

Have a beautiful week!

Inside Box 14

We got everything boxed up today just before the rain came on … good for the salad row, if not ideal for the row cover’s frost-prevention powers.

• Summer Squash / Zucchini – the summer squash have given up the ghost now, although a few zucchini soldier on.
• Cherry Tomatoes – grandma Deb & Kristin have both been enjoying this recipe and website, maybe you will too!

• Tomatoes – We’re gonna miss these soon enough, but for now they’re still giving me logistical fits. Definitely slowing down though.
• Parsley
• Mint & Mountain Mint – Mountain mint plants are not the same as true mints; they belong to a different family, but they can be used like true mints.

• Shallots
• Cabbage
• Sweet Peppers – we’re loving these – there’s a chance we will be covering the plants up tonight to save them from the potential frost we’re facing … don’t tell the cherry tomatoes, which are gonna be on their own.
• Apples – with the drought they’re runty and misshapen, but we’re happy to have them on the trees we planted. Some are Honeycrisps and some are Red Barons. The lumpy skin is just a cosmetic flaw – they’re tasty and normal inside.

• one Cayenne Pepper – it’s the long red one, and yes it’s hot.
• Radish Microgreens – elevate and zip up anything with a sprinkling of these on top