Morning fog gives quickly to sun and the days warm rapidly to the upper 70s, perfect tomato growing weather. Those tomato plants are heavy with first fruit, mostly pale green and many blushing orange: fruit season is here and there will be many lovely boxes going to market soon.

Big Moon, Lost Friends

The full moon was bright, lighting the farm in silver deep into the night, and the coyotes went silent. Two neighbors saw lions recently, and we all see foxes. One of those predator species has been murdering domesticated animals – a good friend housecat, the two recently adopted ducks, and all of the hens near the walnut. The two remaining barn cats are huddled inside, or under equipment, in fear. The moon wanes, the night grows darker…and still…and quiet…except the pulsing cricket chorus and occasional echoes of wave sets from way down below. We miss the high-tailed aloof-friendly kitty rubbing hellos, the exuberant morning duck quacks, and the loving hens, clucking and looking you straight in the eye.

Orchards

The cherries are all gone now, any remaining abuzz with wasps carrying away the last bites of fruit. We are enjoying some citrus – navel, Valencia, a lime here and there, and honey mandarins. The citrus trees are growing madly, responding well to good fertilizing and water, and setting many fruit for harvest next winter. The avocado fruit are a bit smaller: the ones left on the trees are half a dime in diameter, and we lost some in a gap of watering…very important to keep the trees watered when fruit just sets, it seems. It looks like we will get around 10 avocados per 4-year-old tree (20+)…next February-May. After that, many, many more! Contrast that with mature apple trees- it will be another year of tons of apples. The predicted apple harvest is 9,000 pounds- the new treat being 600 pounds of Wickson crab apples, which are thickly laden for the first time since we planted them maybe 10 years ago. “What will you do with all of the apples?” you ask. “Juice and ferment into cider” we say, but there are so many other destinations and Apple Dreams for the harvest to come. Prunes, plums, hazel, pears…and much more coming into fruit. Tending the trees takes a community, and we are so thankful for ours, sweating together to get work done each Saturday (and many days in between).

Birdies

A friend visiting said he’d like to see a ‘lifer’ lazuli bunting, but missed it: they are here, though – first sighting that very day. The western bluebirds are thinking about another clutch in one of the same house boxes that raised a brood just before. A pair of screaming red tailed hawks makes for daytime drama. The obnoxious young raven pair still scream and pout, annoyingly to both humans and, I’m sure, their parents Maw and Caw. The big thing on the bird scene is the hundreds of quail babies: a big, big year. The covies are multigenerational with puffy baby babies, adolescents, young and old parents, all mixed up. The flushing of quail is disconcerting for the varied flight abilities and the angst of the parents. Wirr! Peep peep peep peep peep peep. Wirr! Chuek, chuek!! This is the sound we are getting used to hearing.

To Market

Molino Creek Farm is going to the downtown Santa Cruz farmer’s market on Wednesdays. Zucchini, flowers, and the first tomatoes were headed that way today and we’ll continue through nearly Thanksgiving. Soon, we’ll get to Palo Alto and later Aptos (both Saturday markets). We love the enthusiasm when we arrive and how people greet our tomatoes so happily.