Rolling full circle

I’m sitting in the kitchen and the smells of autumn drift around me as Jackson cooks up a huge pot of apple sauce from all the bruised apples that were in the root cellar.  Fall is here, the days have got cooler, the nights are cold and there are the first touches of gold and red on the trees.

I’ve been here four months now, and I feel like I say this all the time, but how the time has flown and I find it hard believe that it’s September already!  I love seeing the change in the season as the year turns onwards and I’m looking forward to seeing the fiery colours when fall is in full swing.  Kylah told me the farm is really beautiful in the fall, what with all the big old maples which will turn crimson.  Autumn is my favourite season.

Last weekend I spent a couple of days at Kylah’s mum’s cottage on the Ottawa river in Quebec.  It’s really beautiful there with a nice sandy beach.  We went for a swim in the river which was nice and refreshing as it was a warm day.  In the evening we had a big bonfire on the beach watching the glorious dusk colours of the sky.

The Ottawa river

Sunset over the river

Dawn on the river with the low mist on the far side

It was really nice to spend some time away from the farm and see a little bit more of Canada.  On our way to the cottage we stopped at an art show of and artist called Kathrin Winkler.  The show was called ‘100 Trees’ and her work is beautifully colourful, expressive and very unique.  She doesn't have a website, but you can see examples of her work here http://www.theartmarket.ca/users/kathrin-winkler

On the farm we’ve completed the onion harvest and they are now all curing in the barn or in the greenhouse.  I think they take around two weeks, like the garlic, and then they can be stored over winter.

I got to drive the tractor (very slowly) while harvesting onions

We’ve cleared most of the Curcubit block, pulling up the courgettes, cucumbers and watermelons which have all finished producing.  We have left in the patty pans, but I don’t think we are going to get much more off them as the plants look very tired.

We still have the squash and over the last week or so we’ve harvested quite a few for both CSA and market.  We are growing a variety called Delicata which I haven’t seen before, it’s really delicious and the skin can be eaten as it’s nice and thin.

Yummy delicata squash

So we’ve seen a number of crops full circle now, as all those above we planted at the very beginning of the internship and they are now at their completion.

So I think last time I said we’d be moving very shortly, however we are still yet to spend our first night at the farm;  it’s such a running theme, thinking we’ll be moving and then there being yet more delays.  We’re waiting on the hot water system to be installed which should have been done at the end of August, but for one reason or another is yet to be done.  Fingers crossed it’s going to be this week as being in the tent is now getting tiresome what with the colder weather and my tent being leaky.

We have started the move though, which is good.  Bob’s hay wagon has been used to bring over big loads of furniture and other things like the outhouse and solar shower.  I’ve packed up my stuff, which really isn’t much, and I’m eager to get into my cabin.

fun times while moving furniture

so, til next time

Much love

Becky x