Last week, we spoke about seasonal rhythms, and those rhythms changed quite dramatically with this weekend’s temperature cool-down.
The blue skies we’re experiencing are dream-like, and we’re grateful to inhale the clean, crisp, smoke-free air from the north. The cool weather means tomato ripening slows, lettuce holds in the field longer, and the animals have changed their patterns to take advantage of cooler mornings. Yet the spirit of summer hasn’t entirely left us.
This shift in season created the perfect backdrop for this weekend’s creative activities at the farm. Regin Igloria, a multidisciplinary artist and educator from Chicago, taught us traditional and non-traditional bookbinding techniques using recycled and repurposed materials.
Maggie Attiyeh, the always-joyful owner of Three States Fiber Art, showed us how to shape wool into bold designs and soft textures through needle felting.
Between these hands-on workshops, Jeff led the wagon ride tour where he shared his vision for our 95-acre farm’s strategic land plan—expanding the food forest, incorporating conservation grazing and regenerative agriculture practices, and moving into small grains production. He and Saul also introduced everyone to Flan, Twix, Oreo, and the rest of our livestock family.
As this seasonal transition continues, CSA members will soon be preserving the bulk tomato harvest. We’d love to see or hear about what you create! The kitchen offers its own opportunities to get creative, connect with others, and make something that will sustain you and maintain your connection to the farm through winter.
These intersections of creativity and seasonality remind us that we’re all part of something larger. This brief cool spell won’t last, but it’s given us exactly what we needed—a moment to pause, connect, and celebrate abundance together.
Your farmers,
Jeff, Jen, Cleto, David, Anacleto, Miguel and Saul