It may not be hot anymore, as I have had a couple mornings already that my pellet stove came on, but boy is it dry outside. Even the occasional afternoon shower seems to evaporate before it can even soak into the ground. 

The sprinklers I have in my garden and flowerbed are holding up okay, but I have had to double the time that they are on as the ground is just so dry. Looking ahead there is only about a twenty percent chance of a shower on any day up till the fourteenth, which is as far as my weather app goes. As a result of the dry weather, the trees are already dropping a lot of leaves, while they are still green. 

This could affect our fall foliage season depending on how long this dry spell will continue. Wineries in NY may like this drier weather as it can enhance grape quality by producing smaller, more flavorful grapes with higher sugar and phenolic compounds, leading to richer, more complex wines, so 2025 could be a good year for them. Local crops could be negatively affected though by the dry weather.

 I have heard about low yields on zucchini this year, which I have experienced in my own garden even though the cucumbers planted next to them have been doing fine. 

My tomatoes seem to be more flavorful this year and less acidic, not sure if this is from the weather or just better fertilizer in the spring. 

  Now that the summer has come to an end, the area farmers’ markets are a little less crowded and filled with the best produce of the season. With the late spring, local sweet corn has finally arrived. Good things come to those who wait. 

Also fall is apple season. September is primetime for most varieties, whether you’re looking to make cider, pies, applesauce, or apple butter, there is a variety out there for you. 

I know a lot of people spend good money to go apple picking in the orchards this time of year, yet to harvest the nearly six hundred million pounds of apples produced in NY every year, orchards have to hire migrants to do it. 

Most people wouldn’t do that for a living, but for a couple of hours on a weekend with friends, they will pay the orchard to do it. But I digress, back to the fall produce.

Grapes are in peak season now through late September. Both seedless and seeded varieties for eating, juicing, homemade jams or try your hand at a little wine making. 

There are how to videos on YouTube and plenty of books in the library for wine making. 

Pumpkins and winter squash are becoming readily available at most markets. 

Pumpkins are great for pies, soups, roasting seeds, or jack-o’-lanterns for festivals like Peace, Love, and Pumpkins, which will be coming around again soon. Winter squash like hubbard, butternut and acorn have a peak season running from early August to mid-October, with September ideal for most varieties. Squash are great for roasting, soups, or purees and most pumpkin pies are actually made from squash. 

Fresh pears are ready now but be careful when buying them. Pears have a very short shelf life and they often ripen off the tree, so pick firm, slightly green pears and store properly. 

A pear is firm one day, perfect and yellow the next, and rotten the day after that. But whether you’re eating, baking, or preserving in jams, pears are delicious. 

Tomatoes and peppers have been in full swing for most of the summer, but some of the slower heirloom and hybrid varieties have finally become ready. 

Sunflowers and a wide variety of fresh herbs are in season. Whether making bouquets, culinary seasoning, or drying for tea, fresh is the best. I have had a good year for thyme, oregano, rosemary and basil, but with the dry weather my lavender has grown like crazy. 

Lavender likes dry soil and this year it has not been disappointed. I’m not sure yet what I’m going to do with it all as my wife is not a fan of the scent of lavender. So much for making potpourri...