I simply can not get enough of fall. This fall’s weather has been as pleasant as any, perhaps even too pleasant. We did not receive the moisture I’d hoped for in October, though the final couple days promised storms. Still, it would be hard not to have liked the endless fine, cool nights; the mild, sun-dappled days. This was true most of last month. The latter leaving songbirds stuck around, well, pretty late! Now, the greatest month of all is upon us! Summer birds have left, darkening clouds gather, and badly needed moisture is coming in November – the month of “worsted gray…”
Autumn in the northern prairie couldn’t have been more classic as I made my way through Montana to the Schmaltz Family Farm in North Dakota. Then north from there to O’Canada. I’m not a big fan of driving around much, sometimes even just to town! However, if locked and loaded for a road trip, yee-haw! The drive from here to ‘there’ is stunning as one travels along some of Montana’s fine rivers: The Clark Fork; the Madison; the YELLOWSTONE, and on to the wide open prairie. Western North America has to be one of the prettiest and most varied places on this Earth.
As always, my visit with the Schmaltz Family was rewarding on many fronts. We exchanged deeper conversations about food, farming and places. I got to see how inventive, hard working and successful they have been with their full-scale regenerative farming practices. Their success isn’t so surprising – since they’ve been at it a dozen or more years now – but these restorative systems are very impressive. Their crop yields show for themselves, however, it is the noticeable quality that speaks the loudest. This quality and consistency come only after a great deal of investment and belief in a system that is constantly improving both soils and the food from these soils. Schmaltz’s farm is now working for itself in this sense. Still, the critical decision making and planning is all Kent and Blaine. This is a very involved process, and one that requires having a variety of scenarios since – like with all farming – things often do not go as “planned”! Gosh it was fun to see, and I couldn’t be more grateful for our relationship. Oh, we got some solid pheasant hunting in, too! Much to Clyde’s delight.
Fall is always a busy season at the Bluebird mill as the eating season kicks into full swing. October was a bit busier than the past few months, and we anticipate November being busier yet. Soup, bread, yummy side dishes; ‘ tis the season for firelight and hearty foods as the countryside begins to quiet and soon winter’s blanket will settle in. Our lean, and sometimes mean (not really!) crew here at the Farm are eager to serve up all the good grains and flours for your cozy kitchens. Brad Baylie who grows our soft Sonora white wheat in Connell, Washington brought in another solid crop for us this year. This versatile soft flour works great for pie crusts as well as other goodies.
It is hard not to think about politics this time of year. For those of us who voted early we are left to fret. Once again, things I often fret over never even get onto the political platforms: Environment, education, proactive health care. These issues are all relevant in many ways, and tied closely to the Farm Bill. Two years has passed since the last Bill expired and there still is no renewal of a new Farm Bill. Reelection campaigns are apparently far too important for any issues to actually be resolved during this time. Meanwhile – daily it seems – I learn of more and more (millions) of chickens continuing to be destroyed. More recently, right here in the good ole’ Northwest. And at the same time, an even more potent version of Round-Up (Glyphosate) has hit the market. This proves that not only is animal husbandry in steady decline, but private enterprise is alive and functioning – for better or worse – throughout the election season.
In related news, there continues to be growing concern over the use of glyphosate as a desiccant. This has prompted many cereal grains and pulse buyers to restrict purchases of crops where this pattern of burn-down pre-harvest remains. Truth to tell, up in Manitoba where I just was, some pea processors no longer will take sprayed down peas, and oat and barley producers have been told not to use the glyphosate for harvest any more as well. Now this is some good news!
We have so much to thank the Earth for. I am glad to see small inroads being made as an effort to better care of it, and as people once did not all that long ago. She is our Mother, after all, and somehow continues to give us great, great bounty.
Soon, winters’ chickadees will return, the owls’ nighttime voices will deepen, and coyotes are already talking about the growing darkness during the new moon. Next up, November’s full moon known as the Beaver Moon. And after, my favorite holiday at the close of the month! Plenty to be grateful for, indeed. Please gather ‘round, hold tight, and give thanks together for another year’s food from our always giving Mother.
Cheers,
Farmer Sam
