On the farm, it is very easy to understand why so many cultures have celebrations at the end of a harvest season. There is the more obvious reason of rejoicing at an abundant harvest but delve a little deeper and there are many layers to that feeling of thankfulness. The good fortune of being able to steward land and grow food on it, the hard work of Stone, Jess and Heather who have been working the crops all season, the opportunity to share this land and life with our awesome kids as well as the awesome kids in our on-farm pre-school (and the chance to see them learning and growing), our healthful bodies that are able to work hard, a supportive and involved community and more!
At the farm, surrounded by the intense beauty of fall, there is much depth of feeling, all the more so when we are celebrating a harvest season with amazing food and surrounded by people we love very much. We set up tables outside, with a backdrop of variously hued trees, the silhouettes of plants gone to seed and the rows of garden still green behind us. And eat!
The palpable sense of gratitude and joy at this time of year on the farm makes sense as we have worked hard and been rewarded with beautiful crops and a sense of deep satisfaction at providing healthy food for our community, friends and family. Our senses are alive with the colours, smells and sensations of fall and we are still reveling at the earth’s continued vigour as late planted crops come up and mature in tunnels and hoophouses around the farm.
The fall is also when the cycle of life and death on the farm is most evident and I have found a deep gratitude in feeling more a part of that cycle and the wisdom that gained from that connection. In a world of ever increasing disconnectedness, farming in a way that strives to respect and resemble natural systems as much as possible brings a deeper understanding of the world on many levels and is a constant learning experience. Hopefully that sense of connection comes through in the veggies that you bring home from the farm. We hope you enjoyed many of them with friends and family this past week!
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