"The abundance of corn brings happiness, prosperity, and health." - Rederico Teni, Kekchi Indian from Alta Verapaz, Guatemala

Dear Organic Gardeners,

For many, especially those of us in the northern part of the continent, September is a wonderful and also crucial time in the garden. While the abundance of the harvest is a joyous time to share food with family, friends and neighbors, as beds are emptied September is also an important time to build compost for next years efforts and to sow cover crops to protect our ground for the winter and enrich our soils. Here in Maine our compost piles are cooking along fed by plant debris, weeds and harvested summer cover crops including buckwheat and cowpeas as well as prodigious amounts of manure from Jake, our new Belgian workhorse.

Looking ahead to fall we've cover-cropped some beds with Fava Beans, Winter Rye, Crimson Clover and Winter Peas, with many more beds to go as summer crops are removed. We're also busy sowing fall crops of spinach, lettuce and other hardy greens that we can tuck in under cold frames and row cover when the weather turns frigid. Soon we'll be working up the green house beds and containers with dreams of winter salads and braising greens inspired by our recent visit with Jesse Ziff Cool at San Francisco's Ferry Plaza market. You can read about our gourmet tasting event with Ms. Cool in Micaela Colley's field report this month and check out her great recipes for both a cold and warm salad. I've also reviewed Jesse Cool's lastest cookbook, "Your Organic Kitchen" which I've found extremely inspiring as we try to find new ways to enjoy the harvest.

	Jesse Cool at Ferry Plaza Farmers Market Making culinary delights with Heirloom Organic's Seeds of Change varieties... Read More >
	The Humble Potato, II Jordan Rainwater waxes rhapsodic in Part II of her ode to the spud... Read More >
	The History and Evolution of Corn A fascinating history and future of corn from Steve Peters... Read More >

Two of our favorite crops this time of year are fresh potatoes and perfectly ripe sweet corn. This month we've got articles on both of these venerable crops of the Americas as Steve Peters reveals his passion for the "History and Evolution of Corn" and Jordan Rainwater delivers part two of her enthusiastic treatise on her favorite crop, "The Humble Potato". Jordan also clues us in on the news from our New Mexico Research Farm, Micaela Colley adds a piece about Bloomsdale Spinach, our featured bulk variety for fall, and I add some information on current events and workshops.

Share the Harvest and enjoy!
Scott Vlaun, Editor

Photo caption: Jake the Belgian draught horse at the Maine Trial Gardens.