Yesterday was the autumnal equinox, placing us squarely in the fall season. The sun now slants rather than bakes. As the days grow shorter, I’m moving from an existence of sun, sweat, and tomato sandwiches to one of crisp morning walks and coziness.
The garden, also changing, continues to surprise me. Though I predicted that last week marked the end of tomato season, a few more fruits have ripened on the wilting vines. I also harvested the first few butternut squash; not the orange variety I’ve been eagerly watching, but volunteers that sprouted from the compost pile, a classic tan variety I grew last year. Sometimes the best plants are ones we didn’t sow.
Tomorrow at the farmer’s market, then, you can expect a few more tomatoes, the first of the butternut squash, lots of garlic, and perhaps a few herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary – the basil is, sadly, done).
As you can see above, I picked some jalapenos the other day! Due to the dry summer, I didn’t get the bountiful crop I enjoyed last year, so I won’t be selling any of them fresh. Instead, they’re all going in the dehydrator so I can finally make more hot salt!