Fall Visions

I love watching the Fall season take over the Farm.

The beginning of the transition from Summer to Fall has subtle beginnings, at first the changes are barely noticeable, but gradually the vivid greens of the Summer months begin changing from solid shades of green to hues of golden earth tones.

The crops in the fields are undergoing changes as well. Our big corn field, which only a little while ago was still dark green, has faded to shades of raw sienna and light tan. Next to the cornfield, there is a large pumpkin patch, which during the Summer months was covered with a thick canopy of large pumpkin vine leaves.

During the growing season, all views below the canopy are obscured from sight, and I always wonder if any pumpkins are growing below and hidden from sight.

Then, the green canopy covering the pumpkin patch fades away, revealing a beautiful sight.

Scattered over the ground are pumpkins of varying shapes and sizes. The pumpkins that we grew this year are the Kentucky field type, which are a golden-tan color. I collected seeds for this variety in Washington County, Tennessee in 1991.

In sharp contrast to the earth tones of early Fall are the vivid light greens of rows of Fall greens which are thriving now.

Some of the Fall greens that we are growing include kale, morris heading collards, purple top turnips, arugula, spinach, lettuce and a number of others.

I look forward to the days of Fall yet to come and all of the colorful changes that come with them.

- John Coykendall