Hey y’all,

   We are out in the fields right now getting our workout and our wear out.  It’s dahlia digging time and we’ve got like 9,000 plants (roughly 2 acres) to dig up.  Fortunately the fields are pretty dry, so the earth isn’t fighting as hard to keep its potato bundles as it does during the wet years, but it's still a pretty laborious process.  Mandy and Rachel have been bumping 90’s hip hop and T Swift to smooth out the rough spots.

   Here’s the process:  We pull up all the support netting and roll it up.  We pull out all the rebar support stakes and stack them up.  We do a high mow to take plant tops off and allow us to get easier access to the drip tape. We pull out all the drip tape lines and poly main lines.  We mow the plants down to 5” inches.  We use a tractor attachment that works like a horizontal blade that cuts under the dahlias to loosen the soil.  We grab the 5” nubs of plants and pull with all our might to dig up the clumps of dahlia tubers.  We knock the dirt and mud of the clumps and pile them up.  We put all the piles into crates.  We stack all the crates onto pallets.  We drive all the pallets across the farm to the house.  We walk all the crates down the stairs and into the basement.  We stack the crates in from floor to ceiling in columns organized by variety.  We take an epsom salt bath, fail to make dinner, eat chips, and collapse into bed.  Wake up.  Do it again.

   We are very much looking forward to visiting with my family soon.  For those of you who are also getting together to celebrate Native American Heritage Day, Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or any other opportunity to share space, food, and time with loved ones this month we are still offering our Gratitude Bouquets.  We sold out the week of, but the week prior has 2 dates where bouquets are available and since they easily last 2 weeks (frequently 3 if treated well), it is often preferable to get them a week early.  That way there is no concern for delays with congested holiday shipping and if, heaven forbid, there is a problem with transport…there is still time for us to send a replacement.  So, consider getting your bouquets a week early here!

   For you locals that would like to swing by the store to pick out your own flowers, we will be fully stocked with gorgeous blooms and will be open from the 16th through the 21st, so not just Thur-Sat, but Sun-Tuesday as well.  We are not taking pre-orders for them, just come get what you want. We’ll be open 9-3 on the weekends.  10-4 on the weekdays.

   Kinda weird to still be in the 80’s this late in the Fall, but we’ll be cooling off and perhaps finally getting a bit of light rain this weekend and next week.  I know your plants will appreciate it.

   That’s it for me today. 
Be well,
Steve