Blue Heron Farm News

Most people, when they talk about the” fruits of their labor” are speaking figuratively. This September at Blue Heron Farm, we can literally claim to be overwhelmed by the fruits of our labor.



Tomatoes are still so plentiful that we’re picking only the most beautiful and tasty fruit. Eggplant and summer squash are sprinting toward summer’s finish line with no sign of fatigue. But the fall crops are really what we’re looking forward to. We’re all ready for the change of pace that accompanies the change of seasons.





We’ve just conducted a taste test on many types of winter squash, baking them in wedges topped with a little butter and walnut pieces. They not only passed the test but excelled, and we are officially beginning their harvest this coming week. The crop is so plentiful that the capacity of our storage rooms will really be put to the test.




Onions and shallots are being dug and stored this month. The plentiful rain has contributed to particularly mild red onions this year. A variety called “Red Burgermaster” is really huge; true to its claim that one slice will fill an extra large bun.




Fall greens are coming along in abundance as well. Arugula, collards, and spinach are thriving, and broccoli, cauliflower and kale will be big enough to pick soon.




We’re preparing for the monumental task of digging and storing all of the many varieties of potatoes we decided to grow last spring. In addition to the usual reds-Chieftain and Dark Red Norland- we have several varieties of gold potatoes. Yukon Gold is the old standby, but we also grow Satina, a new variety from Colorado, and this year tried Bintje, which we enjoyed in France last winter. Purple Viking, a very large and colorful variety, and Kennebec, an old time Maine potato, are also in the mix. Where will we put them all?