Week Six has hit, and with that comes the middle of our stay here. Time feels like it's flown by, yet at the same time, it sometimes seems like we've been here for years. Its exciting to think about how much I've learned up until this point, and that there's just as much time left to continue learning and growing. The farm has shifted since we got here at the end of August, and things are slowing down as fall creeps its way in. The first weeks were a whirlwind of productivity on the farm. Since then, things have been slowing down, as harvest is less intense and other farm tasks shift towards preparation for winter. This week began with a drizzly Monday, which we still spent picking tomatoes. By the end of the week, we were hoeing winter brassicas and rolling up drip irrigation lines. Days have still been hot, but the leaves are changing and it's clear that everything is winding down for the season. 

I've been enjoying being a part of this change; I like thinking in cycles and rhythms, which makes me enjoy farming that much more. Slowing down after a season of productivity provides space and time for reflection, and allows preparation for the next peak, both practically and mentally. As much as I enjoy soaking up hard summer sun and feeling like I can't possibly sweat another drop, I look forward to warming my feet next to a warm fire, actually sitting down to read and write and draw and create and reflect, making time to bake bread, and taking advantage of long nights to tank up on the sleep that seems elusive at any other time of year. It's a rhythm that feels right in some deeply rooted part of my being, and I'm excited to have the opportunity to experience this portion of it here. 

This weekend started with a great Mystery of the Composting Toilet Forest. Well timed with our 6-week house cleaning schedule, I awoke and made my way out to the loo with a view, only to be confronted by an attempt at an arboretum in the toilet. While the culprit of this dendrological prank is yet to be determined, we have all been amused and confused by the variety of pine, fig, and poplar branches that graced us with their presences this fine Saturday at Green String. 

Linnea H. Intern, fall 2016