I don a long sleeve for the seven am harvest shift. Uncovering the greens, I notice a shift. Not quite the chill in the air that comes in September, but a shift. The air has changed. In a physical way, but also in a metaphorical sense. July has passed. And in my last writing, I was grateful for July. And I still am, but maybe in a different way than I expected. July shook me off my feet a bit. It came in sweet and calm, and then settled in like a beast. The heat came on quick and hard and gave us all a little reminder not to get complacent. We worked hard, for long hours, pushed the limits, and the limits pushed back.
Farming is often romanticized, and oftentimes it is such a beautiful dance between farmer and land. And others it is an exhausting submission to the elements and the never-ending“list.” But in all honesty, the true magic lies in the space between romance and weariness. When you stop looking for it. And that magical space has a name… it's August.
August is abundance. August literally means “marked by majestic dignity.” August is an overflowing bucket of flowers. It is snatching cherry tomatoes off the vine during a harvest. It is summer squash ripening in hours, not days. August is bounty and the song of summer hidden right under our noses. The magic. And the magic of Gracie’s Farm is in full effect right now. Our production is at its peak, and our garden is at its most beautiful. And now, there are small moments to stop and take it all in. To look around and see it. The grandeur. It’s glorious. And very welcome.
And in conjunction with all of this energy and flow, the moment we wait for every season has arrived… tomatoes are here. And in perfect time for our next farm dinner. We celebrate their arrival with a harvest style dinner in the Three Sisters Garden. Set amongst the flowers and lights, this dinner is always stunning. And this year, will be no different. Perhaps even more spectacular. We are honored to welcome Dan Perretta, the executive chef at Etta, and an alum of the Alinea Restaurant Group. He is sure to bring creativity and mastery to the table alongside our Executive Chef Jason Franey. It is not to be missed. The event is sold out, but click here to join the waitlist.
If you happen to miss out on the Tomato Dinner, never fear. The Harvest Dinner awaits. I will delve into this more in a week or two, but save the date and get your tickets now for the Annual Harvest Dinner on September 14th. This dinner is the culmination of a year of growth, hard work, and love, and is always a spectacular evening filled with beauty and community.
Rounding out the events on the farm is the improved Farm Stand. We are transitioning into a more permanent retail space in our barn, and a more permanent Farm Store vibe. We still host farm stand every Friday from 4-6 pm, but will also encourage guests and visitors to stay and enjoy the space a bit more. We will have fresh food and produce available as always, and we will also offer packaged goods, clothing, tools, books, and the like. Stay tuned for more announcements on this front! But for now, come and see us every Friday until the end of September.
In closing I want to take a minute to thank my staff for all of their hard work and for pushing through to find the magic…
Stay well, and enjoy the blur between exhaustion and the extraordinary.
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