Robins bunch together in the bird bath as I write these October notes. Earlier, poorwills greeted me in the predawn hour as they have each day since mid September. They will soon be gone, off to join the meadowlarks that have left in search of warmer foothills for the winter. Raptors are migrating through on either side of the equinox – keeping all the birds and rodents on guard. Once an overhead shadow is sensed, the time might be too late! Spooky indeed…
One of my pure joys is watching Nature in motion; both spring and fall can certainly be when that motion is liveliest. We are fortunate here on the east slopes of the Cascades because this climate allows for a slow migration both going north and south – season dependent. And October is the peak for this age-old act of migration. October – the months just get better and better from here!
September left us in the wake of the enormous and wonderful full Harvest Moon. Back East in Virginia, Farm Aid played out for its 41st year as well on the Harvest Moon weekend. Willie – 93 now! – played alongside Neil Young who likely sang from his Harvest Moon album. Farm Aid has raised a whopping $90 million for family farms in its 41 year span. Hats off to Willie, Neil, John and all the rest who have been cornerstones to this amazing event during this time. Now, we’ve collected the rest of our apples, picked the pears, roasted and canned tomatoes and brought in more of this year’s grains. We’ve experienced our first frosts that laid the squash plants low. And, we’ve had some rain, scattered throughout otherwise sweet, sunny days in the 70’s.
October also signifies the first of the real baking months. As daylight wanes and temperatures dip, thoughts turn to warm pies, fresh bread loafs, and hearty soups. Here at Bluebird while I tuck the fields in for the winter, the crew is busy cleaning up grains, custom milling flours, and making sure we’ve plenty of fresh inventory including our hot cereal and pancake mixes. One hundred percent organic, and always 100% yummy! We appreciate all of you customers, both large and small.
Speaking of small things, it was a great pleasure to have our nephew visit with his family over the Full Moon. Both Thalia – 4, and little Chester – 1 ½, couldn’t get enough around the farm last Saturday. Between grain cleaning equipment, and particularly farm equipment, the interest was contagious. One can’t start farmers out too young! I’ve a feeling Chet may be an equipment operator before he reaches grade school! Thanks for reminding us what is most important: The next generations. As did an even more recent visit from our local Montessori school kids who were thoroughly inquisitive, observant and direct!
We are blessed with fresh air and clear skies as many of the wildfires are finally calming down. We thank all the fire crews for working hard throughout the fire season which has become more common, and more complicated as our population grows. Many farms remain resilient to this on-going stress. We know full well here at Bluebird how much planning it takes to stay resilient, and yet it takes a whole lot of luck as well! Leaving the fire-season behind is another reason to love fall!
As the lowland aspen and the high mountain larch turn golden simultaneously, I reflect on how much energy summer holds… and how all that energy comes to an apex in these October colors, and in the foods we harvest. Once again, the land has done an amazing job of living these past months, and the colors of autumn I see as the accumulated expression of summer’s life. Now the land must rest; one can almost hear the quieting countryside as we edge toward winter. It is a beautiful if not melancholy stillness like no other.
Enjoy these precious October days. Enjoy the fullness of the season and the variety of landscapes this time of year gives us. Next up, the mighty and moody month of November riding fast on the spooky coattails of October!
Yours,
Farmer Sam