Fall in the Garden As the summer crops wrap up their g  lorious harvest, the garden gives way to the greens and roots which will fill our harvest buckets from now through the winter and on into spring. Summer is the tall-garden season, when plants use the endless supplies of sun and heat to grow with abandon; tomatoes fill and overflow the top of their cages, cucumbers cover their trellises, yard long beans (pictured at right) climb their arched panels, and okra reaches six feet tall and keeps on growing. And now comes the short-garden season; low-growing lettuce and spinach and arugula, next to radishes and carrots and baby turnips that hug the ground. Thanh has been pulling out our summer crops as they start to decline, then prepping each bed with our beautiful worm compost, and laying tiny seeds in row upon row. In that dark underground, the quiet magic begins to happen; little roots and shoots emerge from dormancy, reaching upwards toward light, and now the familiar patchwork of light green, dark green, reddish green, silver green is beginning to stretch across the farm again. If you’re wishing that you’d gotten some fall veggies planted, it’s not too late! Radishes, arugula and mustard greens are all fast-growing crops that you can plant now and harvest before winter sets in. Kale, spinach, carrots, green onions and turnips are winter-hardy vegetables that will hold their own thru the cold temps if you give them some protection, such as hoops and row covers or a cold frame. Even a small patch can be immensely satisfying; toss a few seeds in a pot now, and you’ll be enjoying a freshly picked salad or some crunchy radishes before you know it!—Lia | 
ends and famiy to an endearing old home place. Please join us, from noon to 2 p.m., Saturday October 19 at the hoop house lot, on 32nd Street between Western and Olie.
Two friends and supporters of CommonWealth Urban Farms have collaborated on a project with CommonWealth at its center. With her distinctive eye and skill at creating beautiful photographs, Jane Wheeler spent much of the last many months creating images in the neighborhood. Then lyrical poet Jane Taylor reflected on Jane’s photos and wrote a short poem for each. They then collaborated further on the presentation of their works and created a wonderful exhibit, which will be shown at Full Circle Books, Thursday, October 3 at 7 p.m. Both Janes will be in attendance, speaking about their work, collaboration and for poetry readings. Come and enjoy this fresh and compelling artists’ view of an endearing place.
Weavers in the garden. This particular weaver had stretched a web among the zinnias in one of our pollinator gardens. It had captured a bug in the web earlier and wrapped it in anticipation of its next meal. Turns out it was for breakfast last Wednesday, and we happened to be standing there, camera in hand, when it dashed down for the bug and carried it back up the web for a quiet breakfast.