As soon as the calendar flipped over to July, I could feel the slow descent into winter begin.  I was already planting fall crops, and the scorching heat in June made our normal summer temperatures in July feel relatively cool.

August seems even more like the beginning of fall.  I spent all morning Thursday setting out broccoli and Brussels sprouts seedlings (a little late for both, but I hope they'll make it, perhaps with a little frost protection).  This week also marked the first round of oilseed radishes, planted in beds that will now be fallow until spring, along with the last seeding of a summer crop (one more bed of crookneck squash.)

Despite seeing winter on the horizon, our summer crops are coming in with a vengeance.  I sent Mark to town Tuesday with two big bags of squash and cucumbers --- "and don't come home until they're all gone!"  (He foisted the vegetables off on appreciative librarians.)  I'm saving seeds and freezing winter soup as fast as I can too, of course.

Even the winter keepers are starting to ripen.  The earliest-planted butternut squash are turning brown, and the leaves are beginning to lose their vibrant summer form.

It's hard to believe that we only have five frost-free months to grow all of these tender vegetables, but somehow it all gets done (and they all get eaten).  Good thing we budget time to simply enjoy the bounty!