Seasons Changing

The inevitable is happening. The growing season of summer is coming to an end. Tomatoes and peppers are running out and making way for all that green stuff that is so healthy for us. In my cooking, basil gets replaced by parsley and garlic and salads of fresh, tender, flavorful lettuces and greens become a staple.

Even though it's sad to say goodbye to the sweet flavors of summer that I love, fall is a time of year to which I look forward. Shorter days end in cooler nights. The air is crisp and fragrant and everything seems to have a golden glow. I start to long for the comforting smell of wood smoke and feel myself craving the companionship of my favorite sweaters. On the farm, the fall is especially magical. We pick the last of the tomatoes, peppers, and figs wistfully, knowing that the flavors will be all the more special because soon they will be gone until next summer. Green is everywhere - chard, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce, arugula - the color being so predominant that the neon colors of the chard stems, the brilliant purple of the cauliflower heads, and the reds and yellows of the beets stand out like Vegas lights. And then there's the turkeys. They run and eat and gobble as though each day is an adventure, which it no doubt is.

This weekend was a bit of a lull for us at the farmer's market. The gradual transition from summer to fall is a subtle pause, a chance for Jeff and I to catch our breaths, find our bearings, and plan for the last month or so of the season. We are by no means finished for the year. You can look forward to the piles of summer produce being replaced by equally magnificent piles of greens, a bounty of winter squash, beets of all colors and shapes, lettuces, arugula, and a few different varieties of broccoli and cauliflower. You'll still be able to find us at the farmer's market in Santa Rosa on Saturday mornings and in Sebastopol on Sundays, although we'll probably be bundled up a bit more and struggling to stay caffeinated enough.

I am so thankful for everyone who I have met through the farmer's markets since I began helping with the farm. Every person has a personality all their own and has shared something unique with me. I'm so happy to know you all and look forward to the rest of the year.