September 2025

Autumn is approaching and summer recedes: We are nearing the time when we say goodbye to all things summer and embrace the things we love about fall. A few that come to mind are pumpkin spiced anything, abundant fruit on the trees, and a tiny chill in the morning that encourages you to break out your flannel shirts. The potential for real rain gets me very excited since everything is so dry and thirsty for it. It’s been a joy to see the pollinators working hard to visit every last lavender flower along with so many other flowers in the display garden. Despite my 8-foot-tall fennel plant beckoning, I’ve seen no swallowtail butterfly caterpillars hatching out on it this year. A previous year it had 10 that hatched in late September so I will remove the spent blooms to avoid rampant reseeding and keep my fingers crossed that they are there somewhere and not fat enough to be seen yet. There’s still time.

All of the plants are fighting to set seeds, and I am fighting to keep them from doing so. The longer they go without setting seeds the longer they will bloom for my bouquets. I will collect the best seed heads to dry, clean and sell in packets. In the case of the Rudbeckia hirtas, a gaggle of goldfinches are working hard to eat every seed they can in the morning before I open up the shop. I have left this stand of flowers alone, purposely not deadheading the flowers to watch the birds enjoy the natural food source. If more of us had a patch of plants just for the bird’s benefit the world would be a better place in my mind. Now, I’m also aware that there will be quite a spread of seeds around the area as a consequence. Life gets messy. Wish me luck in managing this.

~Susan

Dried Bouquets Be sure to look outside near the fresh bouquets as well as in the shop for farm grown dried arrangements that will last around one year. I’m utilizing Lauren’s pottery skills to create simple sconces that make a stylish wrap to hold them on your wall. In future years you just bring back the sconce and I’ll refill it with another lavender bundle or dried arrangement. What I can grow and arrange here on the farm is what I have to offer all of you. This is about as local as you can get.

Trailhead Pottery Lauren has been experimenting with some new glazes and products. This herb stripper bowl was requested by a customer and since creating a few, they have flown out of the shop. The beautiful green glazing just glows. This bowl can do it all. Pull herb stems through and the bowl catches the leaves. Do a rough chop and add back to the bowl to whisk together with your balsamic, olive oil, dab of Dijon, pressed garlic, salt and pepper. Bonus points if you add in the last dab of fruit jam from Cheep Housing since this is my favorite way to change the dressing flavor without buying a whole bottle of fruit flavored balsamic. Whisk all together until emulsified and use the pour spout to dress your salad.

Lavender It’s all finished for the year and right now is the time to prune your lavender. Trim it up for a good shape, remove anything obviously dead and expect a little new growth just before it goes dormant for the year. Doing this chore once a year will give you a better plant with a much tidier growth habit. Avoid going deep into the old wood since lavender won’t regrow from it. Leave some obvious fresh growth on the stem and you’ll be good.