September’s Song

Reader Contribution by Lois Hoffman
Published on September 16, 2014
1 / 3
2 / 3
3 / 3

I think, of all the months, September is my favorite because it gives us the best of both worlds. Days are usually sun-kissed and warm while nights have that crispness in the air. We can still enjoy tomatoes and corn on the cob right alongside early squash and fall apples.

The garden has been good this year, for all the weeding and watering throughout spring and summer we have reaped a good harvest. I love to see the various shades of green and the perfectly manicured rows in summer, but an empty garden in fall means full freezers and pantries. It also means a little more free time. I love to can and I love to freeze, but invariably, no matter when we plant and how long the maturity date is on the various vegetables, they always ripen at once. Yes, by the time I have spent a few weeks preserving pickled beets, tomatoes, corn and cucumbers, I am dutifully ready for a break.

Farmers’ fields also begin to take on that golden glow as soybeans and corn begin to dry down. It is especially colorful in our area with all the specialty crops. The red dots of tomatoes brighten many fields while acres of red and green cabbage add ribbons of purple and green to fields. Many farmers in the area contract their fields to companies who raise seed corn. The companies decide when it is time to harvest and pull in their machinery to do the job. It is quite a sight to see semis lined up and down the road waiting to take the corn to the plant.

Online Store Logo
Need Help? Call 1-866-803-7096