It’s August and summer is still with us in all her hot, sunny glory. Yet you can catch the slightest unmistakeable whiff of autumn on her way. It’s amazing to see the crops transform in the heat in our Vermont summer garden from tiny seedlings to big abundant plants. (Good soil helps too!)

This month, Brendan and I harvested our first-ever broccoli! This was an extra special moment for us, because just a few months ago, groundhogs ate all our broccoli seedlings a mere day after we planted them. Much to our surprise and delight, they made a comeback! Just goes to show that as long as your roots are healthy and strong, you can bounce back even from seemingly hopeless situations.

So far this year we’ve harvested rhubarb, wild leeks and fiddleheads, cucumbers, carrots, onions, zucchini, yellow squash, peas, kale, tomatoes, peppers. We’ve also brought in tons of berries, herbs and medicinal plants, and last but not least around 600 heads(!) of Sky Meadow garlic. We don’t know the exact cultivar, but the same garlic has been planted, harvested, and some of the cloves replanted again here for almost 30 years. (Same goes for the potatoes, which are still in the ground for now, but should be making their entrance soon!)

We take such pride in continuing the cycles and traditions of this land. Even better is sharing the harvest bounty through the catering for our retreat guests. Chef Justine made ample use of all the freshness in the meals for our most recent event, the Gathering of the Sacred Star! Whatever we can’t use fresh, we will preserve and put up for winter guests to enjoy too. (Could you be one of them? Winter bookings for VT ski season or winter getaways in Vermont are still available. But you’ll want to book soon because dates fill up fast!)

Thanks for taking the time to catch up with us! If you’re anything like me you’re currently swimming in cucumbers, so stay tuned. I’ll be sharing my favorite quick pickle recipe with you soon.