Tutti Fruitti

It's deep into harvest season (not that I don't harvest all season long, but once the tomatoes hit, it feels real). The fruits are ripening and some of the late summer/early fall crops are coming to market this week including the first few boxes of cherry tomatoes, onions, peppers, and garlic. The larger slicing tomatoes and some heirloom eggplants are close behind.

This time of year also means a potential slowdown in egg production as the hens prepare themselves for their yearly molt. This is when they drop their current feathers and grow new ones in. It is a lot of work and takes a lot of energy so many hens lay less eggs or stop all together until their feathers return, which takes 1-2 months. 

There are still lots of flowers to enjoy as the days get ever shorter!

The cherry tomatoes are like little globes of joy wrapped in sunshine! Each box is a mix of orange ones, red ones, yellow ones, black ones, stripey ones and others as I have about 8 different varieties growing.

Group playdate! All the chickens, roosters, ducks, drakes, Hella, and even some nosy neighbors gathered together. Hella, the kitty, is the tiny dot in the middle keeping an eye on those neighbors.

Green thumbs may be a prerequisite for growing things, but when you are pruning & clipping tomatoes you get green hands, fingers, and thumbs!

The clouds have returned, which both me and my crops are happy about.

The snapdragons are stealing the show in the field now and it's hard to keep them all picked on time. Luckily, they bloom successively up the stem and have a larger harvesting window than most blooms.

It's a miracle what a little organization can do. This week I got my shelf unit and some motion sensor lights installed in my cool room. The buckets of flowers don't need to be spread out on the floor (taking up way to much space) and I don't need to leave the door wide open to see (wasting all that precious cold air). More shelves will be arriving soon to tackle the pile of veggie totes and eggs!

What's available this weekend?

• Eggs! Both chicken and duck eggs. The grass is springing up and the coops are beginning to roam, gobbling up the fresh greens and worms!!!
  • dozen pasture-raised, rainbow chicken eggs $4
  • half dozen pasture-raised duck eggs $4
• Flowers!
  • Large Bouquets
  • Medium Bouquets
  • Sunflowers
  • Snapdragons
• Veggies!
  • Spicy Microgreens (now with arugula!)
  • Romaine Lettuce
  • Butter Lettuce
  • Arugula
  • Summer Squash
  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Hot Peppers
  • Petal Power Salad Topper
  • Rainbow Radishes
  • Red Onions
  • Dino Kale
  • Garlic
    • 3 varieties to choose from, each with their own specialty

Where to find it all?
I'll be at the Farmers Market at Libby, this Thursday from 3-7pm!

I'll be at the Troy Farmers Market, this Friday from 330-630pm!

I'll be at the Kalispell Farmers Market, this Saturday from 900am to 1230pm!