Rain-eo, Rain-eo! Where for art thou, oh Rain-eo?

What a summer!! We haven't seen much by way of rain. A fitting answer to last years deluge. Still the surface water is really feeling it, but the wells are holding their own.
Even in the absence of the rain everything has been early - except the herbs. They are still taking their sweet time. . .

So it's September now. How did this happen?!? Life on the farm is wonderful. So much is happening so very quickly that at times it is difficult to keep up with it all (let alone have time to blog about it).

Our farm family has grown. We have added Gracie and Baby to the flock, many thanks to the Bridge girls from Saint Joe's and Olivia and Tim from Dragonfly Farm. They are majestic creatures and promise to produce some good lambs for us in the spring. The trick now is to keep Buster separated so we can have late spring lambs and not January lambs - Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

The poultry palace is still under construction. With the closing of the summer season the interns are returning to their studies and I have suffered a hand injury building a fence that has left me a little. . . well. . . short handed. The frame is up, the roof and floor are nearly finished leaving the walls and the hardware. The chickens have done a bit of exploration around the region and seem to be pretty content with the new digs.

The growing fields are a funny matter. With everything being about three weeks early many things have come and gone. Some of the ones that are still flourishing have totally surprised me. An example?!?

How about pumpkins?? Usually we would be harvesting pumpkins in a couple of weeks - right about the time for the Common Ground, and for April to use them to decorate the cafe.

This year - they have been done and harvested for two weeks.

On the flip side, the okra - a southern crop - they have been producing like nuts for two months and are showing no signs of slowing. On a personal note I am glad for that! Not only because okra is so darned yummy, but because they adorn themselves with, arguably, some of the most beautiful flowers in the garden!!!!!And now. . . September. Our autumn and winter crops are started. We are thinking more about our secret garden than our Weeman Road field now. . . it is the harvest time - the time for farmers to make one last big push before the resting season (not that we ever rest. . . there is always compost).

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With the start of the school season I want to wish all the best and offer a very heartfelt thank you to all of our summer interns from 2010: Chris B., Ashley D., Alyssa D., Noah E., Michael H., Daniella F., Shandani C., A.J., Mark C., Chris P., Jack M., Nate S., and Mary Jo. You guys made the season the success that it was and have helped to further establish Pearson's Town at Saint Joseph's College.

My promise to next years interns. . . . a tractor, and no more major projects. . . . well. . . maybe!