Pumped for Pumpkin Season!
We’re now well into October, which means that for many, including those of us on the farm, it’s all about pumpkins. Specifically, jack-o’-lantern pumpkins, which are the classic bright orange ones you’re probably seeing aglow on porches right about now.Did you know that for the first time ever, Red Dog is growing big, beautiful jack-o’-lantern pumpkins? Not only are we upping our seasonal spirit by doing so, but also providing you and others the opportunity to source this year’s most fun and festive decoration from your nearby local farm.And...
read moreSquash Ball
parallel linesrunningtoward a distant treeline,a smattering of headsstippling the rows,bobbing this wayand that,crunching swishing tramplingthrough crisped leavesthat crumbleinto ash.brittle hollow stalkspop when stompedwith a noise likea drophitting waterin a bucket.the snip of clippers,the thump oftossed squashbeds leveled,gourds mounding,piles rising.humansracing the sunto the end of the day,its exitbeneath the horizonpulling the frostin its wake.~Hailey
read moreSquash Ball Season!
With the transition into the fall season solidly behind us and the “Spooky Season” right ahead, autumn has given us a warm welcome. And with this new season, we’ve officially started one of the most beloved activities to those of us who work at Red Dog: squash harvest. Not only are we excited for the many beautiful types of squash that we now have in our farmstand and market booths (including crowd favorites like delicatas, butternuts, and red kuris, to lesser known delicacies like the odd-shaped buttercups and the ghostly blue hubbards), but...
read moreJack-o-Lanterns and Gourds and Pies, Oh My!
Summer: It clung to the air, wrapped around Jefferson County’s shoulders like a wool shawl on a sunny morning, to the point that even the most diehard sun-baskers among us could not help but think that maybe a little rain would be nice. And, as if heeding the call of the falling leaves, summer has finally succumbed to the inevitable: the changing of the seasons, bringing with it not just the rain, but the fires to our hearths, the mudboots to our chilly little feet, and yes, pumpkins, the quintessential gourd of autumn.Entangled in our...
read moreGourds for the Birds
Thanks to Rod Just Realtor for the photo of Paige with two daikon radishes! It’s official, Fall is in and Summer is out. As we enter the Fall Equinox, it’s time to harvest some gourds! You may remember from last Fall all the tasty edible squash that we had, from red kuri to delicata, but we have a fun new selection this season: ornamental gourds. Although you may not be able to make a soup with them, you’re able to feed your soul by admiring the whimsical beauty of ornamental gourds. This past week was our first harvest of them, and it was...
read moreFive Haikus for small, flying, departing neighbors
Thanks to Rod Just Realtor for the photo! When are you coming?Can we expect you by May?Your call, Spring laughter Now, suddenly, nowDifferent cloud in gray skyParticulate joy Azure wings at dawnBreath of dew made gold and quickRise and chase the day Ruts bear mud for homeTight corners, new blue babiesRemember first home And wheel south once moreCarry these warm days awayReturn bright and sharp ~Solomon
read moreShifting Seasons
As August turns to September, and September carries on swift and chilled, each gilded evening alludes to a shifting. Shifting of the seasons, the cycles, of the land’s slowing and preparation for rest. The trees seem to be quieting, and the animals preparing. The sun has migrated its long-stretched rays to another slice of the world, leaving us with rich evening light to glitter the world gold. Misty morning fog rolls out like a familiar carpet into this stretched valley, gifting each day’s beginning with a thin layer of dew. Crops hold the...
read moreSummer Chats
Hannah (right) and the field crew are jumping back into mud season during radicchio harvest. This week marks my last week on the farm for this season. This is my sixth season of farming and my current iteration of farm work has been as a part time farmer for the summer. I joke that I have retired to this from being a full-time, full-season farmer. When I first started farming, I began in June right as the harvest was picking up and the momentum of the season was following suit. I love this summer energy on farms, of being fully immersed in...
read moreMotivation from the Fields
Morning meeting on the farm is a time for the Red Dog crew to gather and share announcements, discuss logistics for the day, and also provide comradery and encouragement. Once in a while, farm owner Karyn or another member of the management team will give a farmer talk and teach the crew about things like Jefferson Land Trust, tractor cultivation, organic certification, and more. This keeps us learning and helps build our understanding of farming in its entirety, rather than only knowing our immediate reality of harvesting produce from the...
read moreMelon-Time Reflections
Solomon weeds on one of our “classic” tractors.Thanks to Rod Just Realtor for the photo! It’s almost September, and as the peak season of farming in the Quimper Peninsula progresses, it’s important to indulge in the treats of summer while you still can. One treat that you might not consider in our area is melons! Growing up, freshly cubed melons with a dash of sugar on them was a classic treat for me. Although melon is great to eat as is, I’ve been wondering how it could be “dressed up” a bit. One idea is to pair a melon...
read more