There are times, moments, when I have to move slowly. It helps me if I say to myself "self, one must be very strong to go slow". I suppose it is true, however, I have gradually discovered that I am not the strong one in that situation. And my role really is more like a partner in a dance that I do not know well, and the other knows all too well. I can only hope, in that moment, to move with some measure of grace so my partner is not embarrassed by my awkwardness.

Yesterday on the tree lot was rough; the Drive-in is right on the Dakota trail; bikers, walkers, bladers, all whizzing by, and me, I'm breaking down stands, pulling nails, watching for the trickle of customers coming through. The late season bargain hunters are tough. Some of them so crabby, some of them just so darn poor. One has to find a price that they'll accept and still leave oneself with some small measure of self respect. It's brutal. And you cant give them away or sell them too cheap because next year they'll come in 2 weeks earlier and want them for that same price.
There was a point where the darkness was overcoming the light, thankfully, a good bowl of hot chili and a rush of rather cheerful customers saved me and i went away from the day feeling good about the season.

today, i went north to pick up trees we cut last week.
the thought process can be funny when working alone; at first i thought, jeeze, we should have cut more. then as i started loading, i thought, oh man, i hope i can get it all on... i want to get all this in one trip.
once loaded, it takes another hour just to suck the pile down tight for transport.
awful nice to get it home.
delivery and installation is the easy part.
next week; one more load

Last load of pumpkins for the season
10/29/11; last market day of the season
see you there!!

next up? dogwood, spruce tops, birch

10/22,23
This time of year, when people ask, I often say, "sweet corn doesn't end, eventually we just give up". Well, we haven't given up. There will be sweet corn this weekend, including some white corn.
And, I suppose it goes without saying, excellent pumpkins for sale too.

10/15,16
yes, there is still fresh sweetcorn.
yes, its good
yes, its really sweet
Minneapolis Farmers market, Saturday and Sunday, stall 229 (or right around there, sometimes we get moved a little in the fall)
also
pie pumpkins, pumpkins, warty pumpkins, broom corn, corn bundles