A Note from Layton | Ah, September! The farmers’ favorite month

Ah, September! The farmers’ favorite month. In September, senescence is the name of the game: our summertime fruits like tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini wane, peppers hot and sweet alike ripen to their waxy final forms, and the innumerable flowers in “BH2” continue to bloom prolifically, their colors becoming more vivid. Although technically speaking “senescence” implies aging and dying, but I prefer to stretch its meaning to include allusions to sweetness, ripening, and abundance. This month, we have all of that, and more.

Speaking of abundance, the Great Tomato Taste-Off went beautifully this past Saturday. Under the direction of GTTO maestra Jane Weissman, we supped on a smorgasbord of the “love apple” in 50 or so enticing shapes, colors and flavors. More than 150 people joined us, with 117 tasters filling out rating sheets. A small army of volunteers, farmers and Trust staff were mobilized for this event, and we (enthusiastically!) thank all involved in helping us pull it off. Read more in Jane’s note below, plus, results are in!

After six years of working for the Trust as a major gifts and planned giving manager in the Development department– with a focus on Quail Hill Farm, among other projects– Alison Delaney’s tenure ends today. Being a former chicken farmer herself, Alison brought to her role a keen eye, laserlike focus and deep admiration for the mission of Quail Hill to bring eaters and farmers closer together. She’s been instrumental in fundraising for the farm, helping (alongside so many of you!) bring about substantive change by resourcing the farm during the pandemic and beyond– funding that has profoundly changed our proverbial and literal landscape. Alison, thank you for all you’ve done for the farm, and we wish you the best of luck!

And one final note– many of our farm apprentices have been bitten by the surfing bug (enabled by our own farm manager, resident surf coach and former ocean lifeguard Madison Aldrich) and, as such, are seeking hand-me-down surfboards and wetsuits! Do you have any such items kicking around? Let me know! And thanks.

Enjoy the bounty, and see you in the fields,

Layton