Season's End

In the early light of an autumnal morning, the iris reblooms. The van preloaded, we had time for a visit to the farmers' market on Cortelyou for carrots and kale and breakfast before market. 

 The new display, where garlic was bundled in threes and labeled.

Gigantism of elephant garlic and minute French shallots at the lower reaches.

It was slow at first, at least in our corner, but then after noon things picked up.

We received dozens of complements on the Hudson Clove display and a photo was always being taken. Must be the artist in me that creates a display more visually stimulating than the product itself. We sold out some varieties, and nearly sold out others. What remains will direct this November's planting -varieties that didn't move will be be shifted out in favor of those that sold well, while retaining all varieties.

We will not return to the Thanksgiving New Amsterdam Market because we simply do not have enough to warrant the stall expense. I encouraged people to buy enough for the holiday, explaining that we would not be back and that they should expect their garlic to last through then. This came as a surprise to many. I also sold a good amount of seed garlic to gardeners who just happened by and saw the sign. Folks growing in Westchester, Connecticut, Long Island, the Catskills, and even central Vermont! I do still have some left if any one is interested -I may put up a sign at a couple of community gardens in the area. I'd hate to eat such large and plant-able bulbs.

I have one more trip, possibly an emotional visit, out to the old Amagansett field to collect my sacks of lime, hand cart, and tools. Then over to the barn to collect remaining garlic and racks that I left behind, sell my French Shallots to a farmer who intends to grow them. I will stop at Agway to return the extra lime and a bag of Harmony fertilizer I will not use (the garden has an abundance of Phosphate) while picking up blood meal and potash for the garlic. Sometime between this weekend and the next I will plant the coming season's garlic and then all can be put to rest for the winter. I am looking forward to that, the quietude of winter, as we re-establish our studios in a new location and get on with other business.