September is perhaps the mellowest month of all with its softening light and moderate temperatures – leftover from an over-worked sun. Many years it remains full summer before beginning to turn away toward fall later in the month. This year the turn toward fall seemed that fast as the final weekend of August brought much cooler temperatures, and rain! As much as a quarter inch which served to knock back the fire smoke some, and even pause the rage of some nearby fires. No one here is complaining. As we enter this shorter month, the cooler and moister trend looks to be with us for a while.
With earlier cool-down, so went some of the birds. The hummingbirds moved on late in August, the bluebirds have disappeared while crisp weather birds like chickadees seem to be more numerous. Evening is time to listen to the crickets, the cicada, the tentative footsteps of deer grazing the nearby hills as daylight ebbs. September holds the Harvest Moon and although all of our grains have come in and are safely binned, there is a lot of fruit still to be picked. This year our apple trees sag with abundant fruit and our black Lab Clyde feasts on the drops until even he – a Lab! – seems too full to eat more. Soon he can work off some of that extra fiber as we will be going into the mountains for grouse. If successful, we may have fresh grouse to serve along our split emmer or pilaf which, with some sautéed garden greens, is one of my all-time favorite early autumn meals.
Fall cover crops will be planted soon, and here on the home field I am hoping we have enough rain moisture so that I can sow winter spelt without irrigating. I will do a round of cultivation and then just run our tine-weeder over the field before packing and seeding. I will time this around mid-month. In other fields winter rye will be sown, as well as winter peas.
This time of year custom orders pick up at our mill for fresh milled flours and fresh grains. Summer is still with us, but cooler nights invite more appetite. Chilled emmer salads may soon change to hot emmer soups, and crusty whole grain breads. Perhaps you will find Brooke’s Fried Pilaf Recipe inviting, any grain will do for this delicious savory morning recipe. We have it all here at Bluebird and enjoy hearing from all you loyal customers.
Talk continues about supporting family farms, and organic and regenerative… At Bluebird, we find ourselves squarely in the mix of what was far less popularized when we first began 21 years ago. This is exciting to see. While remaining well below the food spending levels for non-organic = often subsidized foods, a lot more folks are buying organic than 21 years ago. And many more folks are becoming more comfortable in knowing where they can source quality, healthy foods. Including grains! We love it. We hope to get more and more of our nutritious grains and flours to everyone’s table – one customer at a time.
One of the more recent and fun things for us is playing a part in helping get more fresh and organic whole wheat flour onto school menus. This makes us feel great, and justifies what we are doing which is trying to help with health. It is so important to instill the importance of healthy eating in our youth. They will take it from there.
I was invited to a speaking engagement this October in Sacramento CA where Claudia Carter from the CA Wheat Commission has been working diligently to get whole grains and flours into the school system there. I look forward to partaking in this. I hope I get to meet some of the students.
Speaking of, school is now back in session! Please be aware of the streets and crossings and sidewalks when driving. Lots of busy minds out there this time of year, and minds of kids who may not be watching the roads.
Thank you. And take care while enjoying that mellow, soft light of September as it settles across the land.
Farmer Sam