Fall crops are coming in. Welcome, parsnips!

Hello!

We’re still in the neighbor’s basement, but our basement is coming right along. The walls are up, their pouring the floor today, and the house moves back next week. We just need this dry spell to hold.

The school year is also going well. Ben is doing a great job in kindergarten, getting a “smiley face” almost every day (which in his world is a big deal). He’s still in pronouncement mode, where he randomly bursts out with declaratory statements. Last night he said (with no obvious provocation), “You can’t get married when you’re little because your lips can’t reach anyone.” So there.

Noah has taken first grade by storm. He’s a little ahead of the curve right now, which makes our lives easier. He recently came home and asked for a shoebox. No explanation. I said we didn’t have one. He asked for any other box. I spotted a beer box on the floor and said he could have that. He busily got to work, cutting off the top flaps and coloring the inside. I finally asked him what he was doing. He said he was creating a diorama about the snowy white owl for his big assignment. Good lord … a diorama in a beer box. Not appropriate in any first grade setting but particularly inappropriate in such a religiously conservative area!! So he has to cover up the beer logo, etc. before turning it in.

But enough about our kids. Let’s talk farmer’s market. What happened to everyone? This past week marked the beginning of what we call “The Dropoff.” Many people just stop coming. We know that you are still coming, of course, and buying a lot of produce I might add. We appreciate that! Consider bringing a friend or at least talking about the market at work – we could use some extra traffic.

Here’s another reason why you should keep coming – this is Bill’s last season. Yes, Bill is not going to farm anymore. It’s complicated, but let’s just say that he’s tired of being tired. All the time. 10 months of the year. For very little money. Bill’s also concerned about the toll this takes on his body. Pick a joint above the waist, and it hurts. (Fortunately, he doesn’t have knee or hip problems! It’s all back, neck, shoulders, arms, etc.) We would also like to have more of a normal family life. We’ll actually be able to cook and preserve the food we grow next year! Yee-haw!

Clearly, the worst part about not farming will be that we won’t be a part of your lives anymore. We have really loved serving you the best food we have every Saturday for the past seven years. We know your kids, your food tastes, your politics, your favorite college football teams, and more. Sigh. It is sad, but I guess it’s just a seven year cycle that’s coming to an end.

But for the rest of this season, Bill will continue to bring you the best of what he has! No slacking off! (This season is paying for our basement!! Ha ha.) He’s also going to cap off his career with a rockin’ Thanksgiving market.

Here’s what we’ll have on Saturday – note the new PARSNIPS!! …

Squash – butternut, acorn, spaghetti
Parsnips
Eggplant
Leeks
Poblano Peppers
Sweet Peppers
Green Bell Peppers
Green beans
Summer squash
Potatoes
Carrots
Shallots
Fennel
Swiss chard
Head Lettuce
Beets
Onions
Garlic
Basil

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email us at blueschoolhouse@yahoo.com, although during the farm season we can’t guarantee that we’ll be checking the email as often as usual. Our phone service is dead for the next few weeks until the house is moved back onto the new basement!

Best,
Mercy