Red Dog Farm is a magical place this time of year! With fall right around the corner, it’s very exciting to see just how much the farm has transformed since the spring. There are many moving parts on the farm as well as many people who come together to accomplish the tasks that translate into collective results. It’s really a treat working here. It’s a very dynamic and engaging job—every single day.

This year was my first year on the farm, and I’ve learned so many things! I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to learn to operate the tractor and help till some of the fields, as the wetter-than-normal spring put us slightly behind schedule in the early part of the season. The winter squash beds happened to be the first area that I tilled. It felt great to be a part of this crop since the beginning. Afterwards, other crew members prepped the beds with plastic to prevent weeds from taking over and installed the drip irrigation lines to keep the plants watered.

The last step was to get the plants in the ground! Everyone was out in the field, tucking the plant babies into their freshly tilled beds, including myself. It was such a fun time, hustling to get the plants in quickly and efficiently, running here and there and making small-talk in passing with fellow co-workers. By lunchtime, we had finished the task of transplanting every last plant start. The squash beds occupy a very large space on the farm, and so it was unavoidable to notice them day in and day out. Little by little, the plants grew. They flowered. The bees did their magic to pollinate them. Then the fruits began to grow… and grow…. and grow! There’s something so satisfying about harvesting from a plant you’ve been watching for such a long time.

The only thing more satisfying than harvesting a beautiful squash? Well eating one, of course! 

~Daniel