The last two weeks have been absolutely beautiful at Brookside School Farm. With winter fast approaching, I kept expecting to find withered tomato vines, but even with the cooler nights those hardy tomatoes kept hanging on. At last week's farmers market here in Willits, we had the last of the corn and cherry tomatoes... and still sweet! It was such a contrast- warming my hands in the chilly but clear morning, and harvesting summer vegetables!
Despite the rain and cold weather approaching, the farm will keep going throughout the winter. A row of multi-colored chard and several varieties of kale grow tall and healthy, and rows of broccoli are forming heads, soon to be ripe. Tender peas climb up a trellis, holding on in the breeze, and lettuce heads are steadily growing larger around them. Some rows lie under a blanket of Remae row cover, shining bright white against the natural background and protecting the tender young plants underneath from the elements. Other sections are planted in cover crops- neat rows of fava beans with other soil building plants sprouting up everywhere in their midst. It's been a fun journey from the bounty of summer harvests, and as the days of sweet tomatoes and zucchini are winding down, I'm looking forward to greens, root crops, and cold season veggies!
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