Dear Friends of PTB Farm,
In the summer we prepare for winter // In the winter we prepare for summer
As farmers, we are inherently tied to natural cycles and the rhythms of nature. We watch the moon grow and wane each month, and plant accordingly. We listen to the cicadas and crickets; their song crescendo-ing at the height of summer and then we listen as they begin to grow hoarse, the evening sounds drying and beginning to foretell the impending frost. We know the seasons by the birds and the insects -- we watch for the first wood cocks, the first indigo buntings, and the goldfinches. We watch for the herons nesting and the Canada goose to crisscross the sky, squawking all the while. We keep an ear out for the first spring peepers, then listen for the cicadas, and the katydids as summer deepens. We know the cycle of dragonflies, horseflies, monarch butterflies, and even the velvet-y cow killers.
But these cycles are only apart of the story. In the coldest part of January, we awaken the tiny tomato seeds, germinating and emerging in the coldest, darkest part of the year. We coax the tiny plant to life, coddling it during the harshest parts of our unpredictable piedmont winters. Then as the days grow longer, so do the plants, until finally they are ready to go outside on their own. Like little children, we set them out into the wild world, hoping we have grown them strong enough to withstand the world's unpredictable tempers, not knowing what the season will bring. And as summer marches on and the first nip of cold is on the air, I begin to look at the pantry and the woodstack. At the height of summer, we stockpile what we need to feed us through the coldest darkest winter months.
in the winter we prepare for summer // in the summer we prepare for winter
Being a farmer is about planning two seasons ahead of whatever season you are in. It means you have a very precarious relationship with the present, in which you graciously accept your current fate and gamble and hope and plan for the best six months out. The tiny tomato plants will grow strong and bear tons of fruit: the cold will come and your wood better be stacked up tall enough to get you through.
 
In the garden we are still making lovely bouquets from the generous summer blooms. Greens and radishes are popping in great quantity and a few late season melons are still ripening up. Shiitakes are usually responsive to the change of season, and we are looking forward to the first fruiting from some of our 2017 logs. Production is plowing on and leaving precious little time for much else lately.
This fall, we will take a pause and relish what we work for. We are so excited to partner with Carolina Farm Trust and two fabulous local chefs - Harrison Littel and John Bobby of Nobel's Grill -- to take a moment and celebrate: to feast and share and slow down to notice fall on the farm. Our Fall Farm Dinner will feature pork, lamb and veggies from here on the farm and will be an opportunity for folks to come out and see what our farm is all about. We will discuss what pastured based farming means for us, the community, and the environment. You will have a chance to visit with the farm animals, better understand our operation, and what young farmers in the triad need to build to create sustainable businesses. Additionally, Carolina Farm Trust will be here to talk more specifically about their mission to improve the sustainability of farming communities throughout the Carolinas, and the chefs will be on hand to talk about their work connecting local food networks throughout the triad.
Tours of the farm and passed apps will begin at 3:30, followed by small plates, a family-style meal and conversation. For more information and to purchase tickets: http://bit.ly/PTBdinner
We hope you'll join us!
with love from your farmers
Hillary, Worth and Danielle
Bea, Cassius, and Tazi the dogs
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