Autumn is here in full effect. It’s the season commonly associated with shorter days, colder nights, and colorful leaves. It’s during this time that we celebrate the successful crops of the summer and prepare for the unpredictable, harsh weather ahead. Oh, and football is back on television; however, that’s not what has gotten our attention here on the farm. We are on full frost watch now that the weather has more say in what must be done.

Recently at Red Dog Farm we just had our “Squash Superbowl” come early. An overnight temperature drop suggested that it’s time for our squash to be harvested and organized into storage bins. So there we were, first thing in the morning, still waiting to wake with the sun, accompanied by frozen fingers and ready to harvest most of our squash. We began this feat, not actually forced by anyone, but rather dictated by the weather from the night before. Thanks to a little hard work and positive attitudes our crew was able to tackle the squash and continue to power through the remaining harvest list for the day. Fortunately, not all crops are prone to frost damage and, in fact, some get even better.

With colder average temperatures some crops such as leeks, carrots, beets, broccoli and other members of the cabbage family noticeably improve in flavor. It’s the time of year when some crops get sweeter, some finally ripen, and others gain heartiness. For those that do not get better with the colder temperatures, we will keep an eye on them as the weather changes and temperatures dip towards freezing levels. Until then, we wait for the weather to decide our next move: eager and excited, always ready for the unexpected.

– Blake

This variety of pumpkin first appeared in the late 1800s in Philadelphia. It’s smooth, sweet flesh has made it a stand out for pies. The pies are unbelievably creamy, but hold together well. As a bit of a nostalgic bonus, the lacy white webbing on its skin, and the classic ribbed stem bring images to mind of of dried fall leaves blowing across a white porch on a cool Halloween night!