My tour of the fields yesterday, Thanksgiving Monday, under a few drops of rain, allowed me to confirm that we have indeed experienced the first frost of autumn.
I was somewhat incredulous, although Environment Canada had warned that it could be a possibility. How does one know it has frozen across an irregular palette of more or less green plants? The telltale dark patches on certain weeds, with galinsoga leading the way, followed by other plants which, although still alive, are fading to various shades of ochre. While the landscape may be one of desolation for some, it allows this market gardener to breathe a sigh of relief, buoyed by the certainty that the end is nigh and that Mother Nature will hasten the demise of what we, humans, have failed to eradicate during the long summer months. Also, there is a silver lining to frost: the increased sugar content of our root vegetables, the strengthening of the foliage of our leafy greens, and… the return of pants. That said, let’s not entirely deny ourselves a good thing: they are forecasting up to 20 degrees, still, this coming weekend…
This week’s basket is definitely autumnal:
butternut squash, rutabaga, carrots, lettuce, kale or an Asian green, Chinese cabbage, leeks, and, size permitting, the first Jerusalem artichokes of the season.
We look forward to seeing you all again.