last day...

Well, my summer break is drawing to a close, and although the season won't reach its peak until September, things look unbelievably different from how they did when I first started here. The tables that once held seedlings are now heavy with vegetables, and the ones that were empty in June are heaped in perfect abundance. The employees who were pale and sweatshirted back then now walk around in shorts, their bare arms in varying shades of T-shirt tan and sunburn, and they are joined by more staff. Even my bike ride looks different: the gardens have matured; the dead possum that appeared beside the road on my second day has decomposed completely, and been replaced by other roadkill.

Friday was my last day at the farm stand, and Monica's as well. Carol Anne (of the whoopie pie fame - she's an awesome baker and used to supply the farm stand with fresh whoopie pies) baked us caramel brownies, which we all munched on throughout the morning. In a few days I leave to study abroad in France. In addition to packing, I've spent the past few days catching up with my family - hiking and packing before I have to leave them for a year.

The summer has been an incredible learning experience. I have a much better understanding of how local food is produced, for one thing. I've learned a lot about the way I work, too - like how the quiet of work in the fields really agrees with me. It always put me in a good mood. And the people at Jordan's are all so fun, interesting, and kind. Besides Susan, Rachel, Emily, and the field guys (we just referred to them as "the guys," since for most of this summer Jim was the only other non-female around the stand), the staff turns over quite a bit from year to year. But the core of the farm is definitely the Jordan siblings. They truly amaze all of us with how hard they work and how dedicated they are to the farm. 

I'll close with some more of Sydney's beautiful photos, so you can reminisce about the summer so far, and look forward to all the gorgeous veggies to come...

Charlotte pipe - clearly meant to be!