Farm Stand Marfa

FARM STAND MARFA NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 26

A September Blow and Balls of Bees

This morning a blow is coming from the northeast that makes me feel like I’m in Maine. Every so often here in the desert a sea wind seems to blow fresh and fierce across the struggling grasslands. The sea- like wind holds a prehistoric memory of the tropical ocean that once encompassed this part of Texas.

The Permian Sea covered West Texas and southeastern New Mexico 250 million years ago.  Sea lilies, algae, sponges, and tiny aquatic creatures rich in lime lived in the peaceful shallow inland sea and helped to build the limestone barrier reef.

Last week I drove down from Albuquerque to Marfa with my friend Erika, an artist with dreams of being a scientist. Crossing into Texas we drove southwest on Highway 62 along the east edge of the Guadalupe Mountains. Trying to imagine the watery history of this Permian range, we looked to the thousand foot high cliff of El Capitan, where the mountain range ends. The exposed reef deposit of limestone reflected the late afternoon light with layered shades of antique white on its sheer face.

This is the time of year to plan a late October walk through Mckittrick Canyon where a path along a limestone shelf leads into a forest of madrones and junipers.  Here the leafy maples, oaks and ash will soon turn the colors of fire.

On this chilly September morning in Marfa I fill a basket with deep orange cherry tomatoes and yellow pear shaped ones. I can’t help but worry that the stand of plants heavy with large green tomatoes won’t ripen before the hard freeze that is likely to hit in just 3 weeks.

Hot weather in the eighties is forecast for the weekend, but “Today.” Wilborn, the beekeeper, tells me, “is a little taste of what is to come this winter. I’m all balled up inside the house like the bees in the hives, “he says. “Can’t get going.”

Though his bees are as far as 35 miles south of here, the cold brisk wind is blowing there too and will keep the bees inside the hives.  If the wind dies down and the sun shines warm at dusk the bees might take their evening cooling flight.

Wilborn tells me, “They’ll spend the day balled up and eating honey to keep warm.  They go round and round in a circle.  The outside ones digging to get into the middle of the circle and pushing the inside ones out to the edges.  Inside they eat honey and then get pushed back to the outside of the ball again.”

“They ball up on the top of the frames and down in between the frames.  There’s a bunch of balls. 40,000 bees in a small winter-size colony.  I guess the queen is in the middle.  They respect her.”

The dogs, Lulu and Clementine, find their favorite spots in the sun and soak up the warmth.  Little Clemie lies amongst a patch of arugula that has self seeded in the gravel.  The garden isn’t buzzing with bees like it was yesterday.  The cold hardy greens are braced against the wind but secretly they love this weather- the promise of what lies ahead.

McKittrick Canyon Fall Hike:
The most vivid weeks of color are in late October. For daily updates of the color change call (915) 828-3251 and then press 4 (McKittrick Canyon information).
To read more about McKittrick Canyon go to
http://www.farmstandmarfa.net/?m=200808

THIS WEEK IN THE GARDEN

_Cut herbs and dry them.  Rosemary, sage, oregano, marjoram, lemon verbena and mint dry well.  Wash them, let them dry, then tie them up in bunches and hang them to dry.  When they are thoroughly dry, after a week, strip the leaves from the stems and store them in jars.

_Basil
Cut basil before the coming October freeze.  Process the leaves with olive oil.  Chop them coarsely.  Spoon the mixture into jars and freeze them.  You can have pesto all year.  Or use the mix to flavor soups and vegetable dishes.

(The Farm Stand Marfa newsletter is written and published by Sandra Harper in Marfa, Texas each week during the growing season.  Send comments, inquiries, or requests for free subscriptions to farmstandmarfa@gmail.com.)