Farming is never finished

Ok, that phrase could mean a lot of things. but this morning it means to us that even though the season is wrapping up, and people ask if we're done farming, for some reason we still have a lot to do. I'm sure farming is a lot like other things, parenting comes to mind. Maybe if we hadn't bitten off more than we could chew, we'd be finished. But from the get go, we always wanted to offer people another option to join a winter CSA, and we're doing it. The share distributions begin a week from today, and will last until the first week in February. We don't have a lot of things to harvest yet, but we really should finish up with some projects before the next growing season rolls around. Our neighbors are building another large hoophouse, and we're thinking about getting one up next spring if we get a grant. Something tells me that our lives this winter won't have a farm-free week in them.

But we're getting to bed earlier, mostly because it gets dark, and my favorite part about fall is here: clasping a warm mug of coffee in my hands as I'm outside in the chilly air.

Last year we were reading some publication in British Columbia from small-scale farmers. I remember how a new farmer wrote about the challenges he faced, and the amount of work that farming required. He came to realize that farming is not a occupation, it's a way of life.

I guess any work that is so closely related to humans' most basic necessities probably isn't something you can just stop. People still need to eat, and I for one am excited to have our greenhouse filled with spinach this winter. If you know any farmers who are trying to do it in winter, give them a high five. They're probably tired of it, but since they like to eat food, and feed others, they are still going. Still going, still going, better get going.