As I relished and basked in that aforementioned “Second Summer” of my last written piece, I was enjoying a sweet and synergetic dance with Mother Nature. She and I swayed toward and away from each other in a balance of understanding and cooperation. She would give, and I would move in and gather; and I would give, and she would move in and renew. It rained, days were warm, nights remained temperate, the sun gave life to the farm.
But like Mother Nature, one to always keep us in check, she suddenly sped up the tempo. She added in some steps that I hadn’t prepared for: some spins and some dips that took me by surprise. Our flowing dance duet became a solo act, of which I was left in awe and trying to keep up. A reminder that she will always be the leader in this beautiful, yet complicated dance. Last week, Mother Nature dipped us below the frost line…
I have been saying for years that our frost-free growing season starts on Father’s Day and ends on Labor Day. I have lived by that proclamation. This year, I stand corrected… Our last frost came days AFTER Father’s Day, and our first frost this season came days BEFORE Labor Day. I’m going to have to change my spiel…
We weren’t ready. Even while watching the temperatures, this killing frost came out of nowhere. And with it, went some of the life on the farm. Cold-sensitive crops and flowers remained uncovered, and fell victim to the cold. Blackened leaves, softened fruits, and crisp browned flower petals greeted us the morning after. The dance had left me laid out flat on the ground, unsure of what just happened.
Farming is always a dance. Sometimes it is a sweet, swaying partnered slow dance, and sometimes it is being thrown out onto the dance floor, spinning to steps you’ve never seen before. And, with all honesty, I believe that is what makes it so beautiful. Prediction is hollow; routine and reliance on trend are fruitless. We are always following our skilled, ethereal dance partner. We are never the leader.
And as this dance begins to wrap up for the season, my awe and humility are being renewed in so many ways. And in that sense of wonder, I am grateful to my dance partner for keeping me on my toes this past week. And yet in her kindness, preserving much of our hard work and many of the crops still in the ground. Those remaining vegetable and flower stars are still shining, and will bask in the spotlight at our final farm dinners of the season.
Harvest Dinner is right around the corner. In two weeks, we will share in the gratitude and hard work of this season by dining together on the farm for two extraordinary nights of community and celebration. A chance to sit together in honor of the land, the commitment of our team, and the beauty of the farm. We will sit as one, in awe of Mother Nature as she effortlessly dances past us and into her next season.
I hope to share the table with you.
**Tickets available for Harvest Dinner Nights 1 and 2 found HERE.
Still plenty of beauty to be had...
Comments