Hang in there! The killing frost are coming! I hit the wall the end of August with too much stress at work and not enough sleep and Fair! I finally had to say it isn't going to get done and not worry about it. My production was down by half this past week. But there is still apples, pears, plums and all the usual this week to deal with.

I go through the same thing about this time of year then in November I'm walking the field looking at the lingering greens and Brussels sprouts and wishing for another month.

Thanks for the commiseration . . . One issue right now is that the weather is deteriorating with cold wind. Margaret, you may be experiencing that on the other side of the hill. Production has just peaked and the slide hasn't become obvious.

I know if there are more weeks of warmth and sunshine (& there will be :o) I'll be walking around just like Robin looking for something to to get it down to the market - for as long & as often as the Autumn weather is pleasant.

Thanks again!

digits

Don't complain I am still cutting bushels of okra and tomatoes . And am just starting to plant greens because until a few day ago it was in the 90's every day and DRY DRY DRY . We haved a we had the remnants of a hurricane and now it is in the 70- low 80 and 50's and 60's at night . We are now preparing for garlic planting. I will be going to farmers market until at least Christmas. Then there is a couple months off before we start Inoculating mushroom logs and staring seedlings.

I hear you! Before we got our 10 acres, suburban gardening season was much shorter. Now, with property, it seems there is always more to do than I can keep up with. Besides gardens, which I have always done, I now have a blueberry patch and a new orchard + the mowing, wood splitting and other chores. Sometimes I am so busy with gardens and market that I barely have time or energy to preserve my own harvest! I really could use all the labor saving tips I can find. I can usually keep up with weeding until Blueberry harvest in July but once harvesting begins, I lose the war on weeds. This year, my garden ended early, and I just didn't have the energy to keep up with the bugs and weeds, so I just let the rest of it go. Fall becomes my favorite time of year -- when I can finally relax -- that is after tilling things under, planting garlic, chopping wood, mowing and sucking up leaves for mulch etc etc... By January I am usually getting ready to start seeds and begin the whole process over again.

I start selling plants on ebay and mail order in February, and March--then April it starts here. The farmers market starts here in May, with plants and rhubarbs green onions, etc first. Then morphing into tomatoes and okra, and more plants. Tropicals and water gardening plants all summer. Then veggies veggies, veggies, and perennial plants until fall, then it's mums and pumpkins, and house plants. Then after that I used to rest, but not since I found Christmas wreaths and grave blankets. Now I get one month off (relatively speaking since I'm always cutting dead foliage off the perennials in the greenhouse that we're overwintering, and repotting things, and watering in the heated greenhouse so those plants stay looking good for cuttings for spring sales. In January, I get to start seeds and then I'm hopping again! I'm tired too.
Gotta go, someone's in the driveway!