SEPT 14, 2021- VACATION WEEKS & PLANTING FOR FALL

Vacation weeks are the most important thing that happens in August and September on the farm, as far as the farm crew is concerned!  Every member of our year-round crew gets 2 weeks of paid vacation a year.  I know this might not sound like a lot to some of you fortunate souls but in the world of agriculture it is not common to hear of hourly farm workers getting paid vacations even though they deserve them.  Over the years I have searched for ways to keep my crew happy and motivated as well as offer perks to the job, which especially in the dead of a hot Georgia summer does not seem too glamorous.  Figuring out how to give everyone time off this time of year was one of the best things I have done, as farm manager.   We are all pretty spent by the end of July but fortunately our busiest months are just ending so we each start taking one week off at a time.  This break does the trick to pick you back up to come back to more planting, cleaning up summer fields and harvesting!  Every person is essential on our team, but we have just enough wiggle room to compensate for the absence of one person a week during these 2 months.  And it has the added benefit of making us all really appreciate the role each person has on the farm. 

August is a critical month if you want to have a good fall harvest before winter.  While we don't get to have the diversity they are able to grow in late summer in other parts of the country, we are fortunate in that we get a long, mild fall that allows for a great second growing season for leafy greens and root vegetables.  I find it to be better than spring for these crops because we are moving into cooler temperatures as the crops mature instead of into warmer temperatures, as we do in spring, and this produces a better tasting crop.  The tricky part is that the days are getting shorter which slows down plant growth.  Therefore, while it seems terribly hot in August, we have to get planting, especially the crops like carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts that need a longer period of time to mature.  We have lots planted now and are just diligently watering them and keeping them weeded as we move toward the cooler fall season.  Hopefully you have enjoyed the late summer crops like pink-eyed peas, edamame, okra, beans, peppers and eggplant but I know many of us are also looking forward to the kale, broccoli, new varieties of lettuce and carrots at this point.  The fall season hits it's prime in November, but we start dabbling in the faster crops like kales and radishes by the end of the month.

Thanks to all of you who stick with us through this long CSA main season we have which allows our farm to support a year-round staff and all of you to learn to eat with the seasons.