Bring in your houseplants, folks! Fall is just around the corner, and don’t you let the 90-degree days tell you otherwise. Can’t say I’m a huge fan of 35-degree hikes in temperature within 6 hours, but while September was added to the calendar to vex me, I will not be letting that ruin this last hurrah of summer. That equinox sure is looming.
Big events this week: I’m starting this update live from Miegs Horticultural Research Facility at the Midwest Mechanical Weed Control Field Day, which has proven to be a true endeavour, with over 220 people signed up for preregistration alone. Lots of neat presentations, vendors and people; thank you to everyone who came out, and to all the folks who were working behind the scenes to make it happen.
In terms of Student Farm happenings, surprise, surprise, potatoes continue to be harvested. We’ve had our first harvest from our field slicer tomatoes and seeding for the fall CSA (my personal favorite, broccoli, may finally making its 2024 debut!) has also kept us busy. With the cooler nights, crops like our tomatoes ripen a bit slower, while others, such as lettuce or various mustard family relatives, are a tad easier to manage without heat stress pushing them to bolt. Meanwhile, on the wetland-and-field-margin side of things, while the purple of August ironweed will be sorely missed, goldenrod, smartweed, and flower-of-the-hour have made long anticipated returns in its stead. And, unsurprisingly, we continue to have a flock of sparrows in residence of our sunhemp.
I may have beef with the ancient Roman who decided to sabotage my jacket layering schemes, but you don’t! I hope you all are enjoying our good weather.