the homestretch

All over the north country, the planters are going back to the barn for the last time this season.  We are down to a few crops that mature from seed in less than 2 months.  The seed packets may say matures in 65 days, but that is the average.  In June and July it might be 50 days, but by mid-August, with shorter days and cooler nights it is more like 80 days, which puts us into late October for broccoli, cabbage and head lettuce.  Spinach, turnips, beets and some lettuces are still a possibility, but it's a bittersweet realization that during the hottest period of the summer your planting windows are rapidly closing.  Can the first snow be far behind.