Towards the end of this time of harvesting, we’re all feeling nested and provisioned for the winter. Stocking the root cellar is complete. December is here with her wintry mix and we have been busy making beef jerky, scrapple, lard, bacon, ham, sausage, and applesauce. We’re also continuing to send vegetables out to our many faithful buyers and eaters–CSA members, natural food stores, restaurants, and the Local Foods Exchange winter market in Blue Hill. The myth of slowing down for the winter is still a myth around here. We spend our days doing food preservation, orchard maintenance, vegetable marketing, dairying, infrastructure care, firewood harvesting, and other ancillary yet vital farming activities. Just because we aren’t planting seeds and pulling weeds doesn’t mean we can’t manage to keep ourselves in over our heads!
As a snapshot, today Seth and Tyler dismantled, loaded, and transported back to the farm a 12′ by 50′ greenhouse that was given to us while I communicated with chefs and produce managers and then drove with Ada to meet the Crown O’ Maine van in Belfast to pass off 450 pounds of squash and 250 pounds of carrots while Mark and Miriam prepped and packed veggies for all facets of our vegetable distribution. Meanwhile, Elsie is plying some of her other trades: the bow against the cello strings, the breath against the vocal cords. She’s rehearsing for the annual Childsplay tour. Here are a few pictures from the last month or so on the farm:
Our Friday Thanksgiving with approximately thirty-three friends and family.
Mark bagging Bolero storage carrots, October 29th.
Tyler cutting cabbages
Team Potato Harvest in action
Dirty spuds, sweet child.
North Branch Farm’s stand at the Local Foods Exchange (Saturdays 10a-1p in Blue Hill!)
