After a couple of weeks in catch-up mode, things are settling into a steady pace around here. We’ve been working through the backlog—a new aquaponics system for student learning, lingering home repairs on our farmhouse, and all those “spring farm projects” that somehow morphed into “fall farm projects.” Now we’re at that good part of the season where we can look up from the daily work and think holistically again.
Our crop deep-dive session is coming up—the annual review where we spread out all our notes, photos, and memories to figure out what’s working for each crop and what needs to change for next year. It’s one of our favorite planning days with the team.
We’ve also got some celebrations on the calendar. There’s a send-off breakfast for our H2A farm team with the rest of the Liberty Prairie team before they head to Mexico—nothing fancy, just warm drinks on a chilly morning and catching up on everyone’s winter plans. We’re hosting learning tours over the next few weeks, including a group of growers from McHenry County Community College studying our winter growing approach and upcoming visits from several high school culinary classes focused on gleaning the last of our peppers and tomatoes for cooking experiments.
The Animal Husbandry Interns were busy this past weekend getting ahead of the upcoming temperature drop—mucking the sheep and goat barn, refreshing bedding, bringing in winter waterers for chickens, and securing animal housing against predators. All this while the team prepared the far fields for next year’s grazing program (more on that soon!), including moving structures into the far pastures (the first picture above). Saturday’s teamwork sure made the winter preparations feel manageable —and more fun!
As our bodies and minds welcome the slower rhythm, it’s nice to have a moment to take stock. We’re reflecting on all of the contributions made by CSA members, students, Liberty Prairie staff and Board, District 127 teachers, local farmers, donors, farm store customers, program participants, neighbors, non-profit partners, and, of course, the farm team, all of whom show up, believe in our work, and embrace building this land- and food-supporting community with us. Here’s to finding our autumn rhythm again.
Your farmers,
Jeff, Jen, and the Liberty Prairie team