Shifting Rhythms
As the vibrant greens of summer begin to yield to the golden hues of autumn, a gentle shift is underway here at Maitri. Cooler temperatures and shorter days signal a natural slowing of the garden's pace, and with it, our production schedule. While the frantic energy of peak summer harvest recedes, a different kind of industry fills our days – one of preparation, preservation, and thoughtful transition.
Our orchards are providing us with the sweet reward of apple harvesting, the crispness a tart taste of the season. In the greenhouse, tables of winter squash are patiently curing, transforming their starches into sugars, ready to go off of the farm in our Fall CSA shares and via the weekly Farm Store. Out in the fields, our dedicated crew is diligently preparing the fields for a well-deserved winter rest. This involves removing crop debris to maintain soil health and sowing cover crops, a vital practice that protects and enriches our precious soil over the dormant months.
The beloved heirloom tomatoes, a highlight of our summer bounty, have seen their final harvest this week (thank you Kyle for wading through all of that). We've gathered both their last blushing ripe fruits and a generous amount of green tomatoes, destined for flavorful pickles and chutneys. Now, the poly tunnel, which sheltered these prolific plants, is being cleared. This allows us to “flip” and prepare the beds for their next occupants: ranunculus corms. These delicate beauties will spend the winter nestled in the soil, patiently developing their root systems, ready to burst forth with a stunning display of blooms for our Spring 2026 harvest.
The perennial flower and herb beds are almost ready for future cool weather, having been weeded and pruned down at the end of the growing season. Some places, like the peony beds that you drive past just as you come over the cattle guards and onto the farm, are good to go, while the herb bed won’t be completed until the final harvests of fall veg are brought in over the next fdew weeks. Soon we’ll be spreading mulching straw over everything and beginning the patience game of waiting for it to all shoot up again in the spring.
A new snacking tradition has emerged from the team for morning break: enjoying homemade bread and roasted veggie rejects. This week's treat featured an incredible loaf of soft white bread - thanks Claire! It was delicious! - and caramelized sweet potato bits, seasoned simply with salt and pepper, and melted knobs of butter – a truly sweet, warm, and delicious start to our autumn days. Go Team Carb!
Finally, we are starting our final CSA of the season, the Fall Veggie CSA. Since March, we have produced an amazing array of the most incredibly beautiful flowers and veggies and curating special bouquets and veggie boxes for our share members. It has been an amazing experience to be able to share all of the farm’s bounty with our local community. Thank you everyone for your continued support. I look forward to six more weeks of CSA and I’ll be seeing you at the Farm Store soon.
