Fall is ending and winter is closing in fast. As temperatures change across the globe plenty of migratory birds are making their way to warmer weather. Some, such as the Trumpeter Swan, have already arrived and often stop in a neighboring field for rest, providing our lucky eyes with quite an astonishing sight. With a wingspan larger than seven feet, standing height of roughly four feet and a weight of nearly thirty pounds these birds are quite easy to spot when making their abrupt, near-perfect trumpet-sounding calls as they flock amongst the vast gray sky.

The migration of birds has me viewing my own patterns in a similar way as I too will be headed south for a brief moment this winter. Come December there will be a different sight for me to witness: I too will be flying, metaphorically, in my truck southbound in search of warmer weather and in hopes to see cherished friends and family- as will most of the farmers here at one point or another throughout this winter with our anticipated decrease in workload. Like the birds many of us will be laying low for the winter, flocking together with our friends and family. Unlike the birds, many of us will be returning to the fields before the frosts have melted.

With the 2019 plan in mind we will be back in the greenhouses starting the seeds, cutting back and stringing up raspberry canes and preparing the farm for the next growing season. With the frost creeping into our mornings, beckoning the end of this season, we can now look forward to the new, early season work to be done when we return in 2019. I am also looking forward to moving into a new nest upon my return north, one that I’ve been working on throughout this past summer and hope to stay toasty warm as well as dry throughout the winter days and into the early season work. After these winter days I’ll be eagerly awaiting the return of all of my migratory friends- both farmers and birds.

~ Blake