October 17, 2024
As I sit and write this post, the leaves outside my window have officially started to change color and are making their way to the ground. It’s like summer held on for as long as it could, but fall has swooped right on in and is treating us quite nicely if I do say so myself.
While we did have a couple chilly mornings earlier this week, overall, the month of October has been extremely pleasant. Crisp, cool mornings followed by fairly sunny days have made the last few weeks outdoors quite enjoyable. We can remember many seasons where this time of year has been cold, wet, and miserable as we try to wrap up our season, but not this year. Maybe we were dealt that earlier in the season? Who knows ...
The End of the Growing Season
Mr. Jack Frost himself did make an appearance earlier this week, putting an end to the growing season for most crops and forcing us to protect the thousands of pumpkins in our parking lots. Layering cardboard on top keeps the pumpkins insulated, while the plastic traps the heat inside. As soon as the sun returns and the temps warm even the slightest, they must be uncovered right away or the pumpkins will turn to mush.
A few things in the tunnels have been able to hang on, like tomatoes, cucumbers and even the strawberries! We will keep these crops going through this coming weekend and then call it good for the season, as we need to continue the great fall cleanup.
While the first half of the growing season was extremely challenging, the second half was a bit more forgiving and allowed us to continue harvesting slightly longer than in years past. For that, we are thankful.
To-Do: Everything
We head into the last two weeks of October with a hefty to-do list.
- There are apples left to be harvested in the orchard.
- While many of the fields have been worked, our crews are busy clearing out plants from the high tunnels, removing drip tape and irrigation lines.
- We will soon be removing all the high tunnel plastic coverings so we can prepare the structures for winter.
- We have begun combining soybeans. Field corn will be next.
- Rye is being planted so that we will be able to harvest straw next spring.
These are all signs that the end of the season is near.
Farewell to Our Team
As we begin to wrap up another season, it is time for many of our seasonal workers to return home to their families. Most of our team will leave by the end of the month, while a few will stick around until early to mid-November to help with the final cleanup and some maintenance work around the farm.
We cannot do what we do without this amazing group of employees, and we are grateful for their dedication. The majority of our team has worked with us for over 10 years!
Closing Down the Stands
Finally, the last couple weeks of our retail season are upon us. In fact, it’s the final few days of the season for our locations in Buffalo, Montrose and Wayzata. They will all be having their last day on Sunday, October 20th. Eden Prairie, Edina, Maple Grove, and St. Louis Park will remain open until the final week of October.
So, now is the time to pick out the perfect Jack-O-Lanterns, stock up on squash, grab some apples for a delicious apple crisp, and pick up some mini pumpkins for a fun fall craft or beautiful tablescape.
