Turn out the lights...the market's over (and it's getting dark, anyway)

Mom and Dad washing lettuce

 "They say that all good things must end...turn out the lights...the party's over" Not sure why this Willie Nelson song was going through my head as I thought about what to write about the end of the market season. But we'll go with it. Yes, this is Anna writing.

With the month of October comes an end to the market season and shorter days. We will say that we weren't really sad to sleep in a little longer on that first Saturday of October rather than hitting the alarm at 5am, slipping on headlamps and boots and heading out to the garden to harvest and pack for the market. We did have our help well trained, though. Just as the light came up they (Mom and Dad) arrived to pick, wash and carry under the backdrop of a beautiful sunrise. (That's the romantic farm-life part of market days.)

We also had relatives from Holland come to help for a few weekends too.  Well, I won't be so conceited as to say they came to Washington just to help us, but once here, help they did. Walter and Jaap showed up bright and early without complaint, and Danielle and Nel supported us at the market- and we figured out a few Dutch translations for vegetables along the way. Now- on to fall garden cleanup!

Jaap harvesting squash blossoms

Walter cutting dill