Waning Summer

My summer gig as farmer is almost over.  I now have to go back to my job as a teacher of young ones.  I love my work both on the farm and at school.  Yet I will miss being outdoors in the fresh air and the work doesn't end on the farm just because school is in session.  As the growing season moves into fall we have work to do.  The hoophouse  needs to be readied for fall.  Plantings started for fall and winter food, lettuce, carrots, beets, spinach.  Our lavender cuttings will be re-potted in about a month.  Our garlic bed prepared for October plantings and all the other garden beds dressed with manure and compost and turned over to be ready for spring plantings.  All this along with the typical weekly chores of mowing, feeding the animals and harvesting the last of our summer produce and preserving that for winter use.  Our nights are getting cooler a bit earlier it seems.  A bit of summer remorse is setting in.  We are already looking to next growing season and what we will do differently.  How will we support tomatoes next year?  Which beds will hold the lettuce, onions and beans.  What worked and what didn't this summer.  As we look to fall we are also looking to begin working on our farm store.  This will be unique.  Different than what you might imagine.  I will be a bit vague here as I will share the building steps as we begin work this fall.  It has been in the works for a year now.  We have been working out the design and costs.  Our store will also be a place for local craftsman to sell their wares and bring tourism attention to this side of our lake.  We have a potter, candle maker, woodworker, wool spinner and soap maker all lined up to stock our shelves, along with all our own lavender and farm products.  So another growing year almost complete and an exciting year ahead.