We have all been enjoying the cooler weather and rain over the last week. The fall crops and the humans alike are benefiting from the change! The heaviest portion of our fall planting schedule is behind us and now we're focused on continuing to plant successions of salad greens and spinach for crunchy fall salads.
We'd like to resume our apprenticeship profiles this week by introducing you to Bea. Many of you have gotten to know Bea from the Horn in the West pick-up site, but we wanted to take the opportunity to allow some of our other members to learn a little bit about the youngest apprentice on the ATG crew. Bea was born on the farm and, so by default, she is a farmer. Of course, Bea enters this world in a time and place where she will most likely have the choice to farm (or not) in her adulthood, but for now, Bea is a farmer. Bea's favorite parts of the farm include the high tunnel "because it has cherry tomatoes" and the caterpillar tunnels "because they have eggplants growing inside." Of course, cherry tomatoes and eggplants are among Bea's favorite foods! Bea has also been known to revel in the view from the top of goat hill. Bea says that the hardest part about living on a farm is listening to directions. Gosh, we can all understand that, Bea! If Bea could change one thing about living on a farm, she would stop her Papa from going to the farmer's market on Saturday mornings so he could stay home for family breakfast time. Yeah, we get that, too!
Bea loves watching lightening beetles out her bedroom window in the summer and she loves sucking on sorghum stalks in the fall. Her favorite animals on the farm are the baby goats and her favorite farm chore is taking care of the baby turkeys. Bea says she likes being a farmer because she likes to eat healthy food and do special chores (including helping to pack the CSA boxes and checking for eggs in the chicken house). Bea loves finding butterflies, picking flowers, running in the rain and eating sweet Italian peppers right from the plant. The farm has grown so much since Bea's arrival on that perfect fall day almost five years ago. Since then, the farm has learned to slow down a little, notice the beauty in small things and embrace the mystery of life. We are so glad you're a part of the farm, Bea! You are definitely our pot of gold at the end of the rainbow…