September is the time for planting cover crops. This year we are stepping up our game in hopes to feed the biology in the soil, which will in turn improve the quality of our crops in the seasons to come. For some time now, Mat has been geeking out on deepening his understanding of what is happening just below the surface. The take away is that everything we do to promote soil health matters. Spending the time and money to plant cover crops is a worthwhile endeavor when you look at it from a holistic perspective. Living roots exude sugars which fuel the biological fire that builds soil. Building soil is of course the opposite of soil erosion, and it is exactly what we need in order to grow delicious and nutritious food while doing right by the planet. Building soil sequesters carbon rather than releases it and this action creates a microscopic paradise for the biology that lives there.
As I walked through the growing space on my way to harvest the other morning, I paused to appreciate this lovely stand of 2 week old winter rye. Each blade held sparkling droplets of sun-kissed dew. It was magical! Then I looked ahead in my mind and was reminded that next year's winter squash will go into this plot. Under the cover of the winter rye, the biology and organic matter in the soil here will go the distance to help us grow beautiful, healthy squash plants and fruits. It will truly be a team effort!
We've taken many crops from our growing space this season, and we know that we must give back to the land in order to continue taking what we need to feed ourselves and our members. Feed the soil living food and the soil will do the same for us.
As we move into the late season, I encourage you to take a moment to enjoy the colors and flavors of summer before they fade into fall. If you were wondering, the final week of the CSA will include the 10/27 & 10/28 deliveries, which means we have the month of October ahead of us. Stay tuned for end of the season details. But for the moment, just Be with your tomatoes, peppers, and sweet corn. There is a whole lotta sunlight stored there that's just waiting to be released!
