Seasonal Overlap

vegetable bed in the Orchard

the Insectary in full bloom

As of September 22 Autumn begins.  

We are really feeling the change of season at the farm. 

The light is different, days are shorter and mornings are cooler.

 We are in that moment of seasonal overlap when our basil and tomatoes 

are still going crazy alongside the squash beds. 

A very busy time for all of us who work the farm, 

including the bees who make frequent visits to our crops 

from the nearby Insectary created by the Benziger family

 as part of their biodynamic concept for Imagery Estate Winery. 

see the bee upper left above the blossoms as he zooms in

landing on the top sunchoke blossom

moving to the one to the right of the top one

and a closer look at our Busy Bee at work! 

Sunchokes are also called Jerusalem artichokes, 

although that is a bit of a misnomer. 

They are not related to an artichoke, although their taste can remind you of one. 

And, no they are not from Jerusalem—one theory 

is that "the name is probably derived from the Italian name 

for a sunflower, girasole, which means turning to the sun." 

Do you know they can grow to be 10 feet tall?

harvested sunchokes 

Executive Chef John Toulze has gotten very creative with sunchokes. 

Besides creating sunchoke chips, which we are lovin' more than potato chips,

they were center stage during the girl & the fig dinner 

at the James Beard House this spring roasted 

and served alongside pan roasted black cod.

photo by Phil Gross for the James Beard House
Dish from Plats du Jour: the girl & the fig's Journey Through the Seasons in Wine Country.

Creativity and flexibility is the key for John and the other chefs 

as they harvest the fruits of summer and the early bounty of Fall. 

In a recent interview with The Huffington Post, John said: 

"Nature does not always work in accordance with a chef's schedule. 

You can't predict much," he says. "Normally, rhubarb means 

spring, strawberry is spring and summer, delicata squash is fall. 

There was point last year I was harvesting all those in the same time."

This flexibility about what seasonality really means 

is why you can still find the popular heirloom tomato & watermelon salad 

on the menu at the girl & the fig on the first day of Autumn. 

What Summer farm inspired dish will you soon miss most?

And what Fall delicacy are you looking forward to making?

1200 onions and 1 greenhouse

We put 1200 walla walla onions in the ground by hand.

It is appropriate that we cultivate walla walla onions, 

given the Mediterranean influence on our cuisine.

The story of the Walla Walla Sweet Onion 

began over a century ago on the Island of Corsica, 

off the West Coast of Italy. It was there 

that a French soldier, Peter Pieri, found an Italian sweet onion seed 

and brought it to the Walla Walla Valley. 

Impressed by the onion’s winter hardiness, 

Pieri, and Italian immigrant farmers who comprised 

much of Walla Walla’s gardening industry, harvested the seed.   

Walla Walla Sweet Onions get their sweetness 

from a unique blending of natural ingredients. 

First, there’s the low sulphur content. 

It’s half that of an ordinary yellow onion. 

Second, Walla Walla Sweets are 90 percent water. 

Finally, combining those elements with a mild climate and rich soil 

grows an onion that’s wildly acclaimed for all its sweetness

two completed rows of onions

ash from ESTATE's pizza oven adds phosphorus to the onion beds

The newest aspect of the farm project is getting access 
to a 100 foot greenhouse. 

This is courtesy of Garden Keepers, CSA, a local company 

that provides organic, sustainable biodynamic 

gardening services to Sonoma businesses. 

Certainly a good fit for our biodynamic farm at Imagery Estate Winery.

Ray and Matt from Local Landscapers 

worked with them to set up the greenhouse 

and we will be able to start some of our plants 

from seeds now instead of having to do all transplants.

rolling out the sheets

holding the sheets down

So, now we will really be nurturing what we plant 

from the very beginning – through all the stages 

of germination, growth and harvest 

to truly bring our bounty to our tables. 

What will be growing here?

The winter garden is taking shape and 

it is encouraging to see some growth.

Not that long ago we were toiling during 

dreary days getting the soil ready.

John keeps a watchful eye on his pet project.

Recently he observed to me that 

"Chefs are completely reliant on farms, 

but most don't get out to them all that often. 

And when they do, it may be to pick something, 

but not that many actually do the farming.

"I want to get close to the ingredients I use when I cook."

And this inspires him.  

I think John is happiest when he is working 

with what we grow–either at the farm or in the kitchen.

I know John is anxious for the harvest we will see from the winter garden.

Soon, you will enjoy that at the restaurants.

And then we will be back at work at the farm 

planting for spring, summer and fall.

As you follow the blog, you will know 

what to expect to see on the table.