As Summer Fades, Fall Beckons on the Farm

Farm team on pasture with some of the dairy herd.

It feels like just yesterday that we were letting the dairy herd out onto the spring grass for the first time in the year... The cows bounded out after the long winter in the barn, kicking up their heels and sinking nose-first into the tall, green grass. That moment always feels like the return of warmth here at Gould Farm—a season of abundance, growth, and full, long days.

Now, as we move toward the close of summer, we notice the familiar markers of change: cooler evenings, the first browning leaves along trail edges, and the rhythm of work on the Farm shifting toward gathering, storing, and preparing. Just as many of you may be watching children pack backpacks for school or get ready to move into a college dorm, we too are adjusting to transition—grateful for what summer gave us, and mindful of what we’ll need to carry forward into fall and winter.

We thought you might enjoy an update from three of our core teams—farm, garden, and campus crew—who carry this seasonal shift in their hands and hearts every day.

On the Farm Team

Summer is the busiest season for the farm crew, and this year has been no exception. From morning milking in the dairy barn to checking on the beef herd out in the pastures and mending fences to making cheese, the team has been working hard to keep animals and land in balance. Rotational grazing is at the heart of what they do—moving the cows through fields in a way that lets the grasses rest and regrow, a cycle that benefits both herd and soil.

As the nights turn cooler, the herd begins to spend a little more time in the barn, and the team is already looking ahead to winter and indoor projects. 

The view from inside a hoop house in the garden.

In the Garden

If the farm crew is about pulling back from the pastures and heading indoors, the garden crew is about harvest and planning. This time of year, the high tunnels and hoop houses are bursting with produce, the weekly CSA boxes continue to roll out to members through October, and our kitchen, Roadside café, and local food pantry are all supplied with fresh vegetables.

This summer we had such a bumper crop of tomatoes that we ran into a good problem—everyone already had plenty! The kitchen, Roadside, even the local food pantry were swimming in tomatoes, and the garden crew found themselves offering them to anyone who walked by, just to keep the harvest moving along. A sweet reminder that even in work, joy often comes in sharing.

As we step into fall, the team is beginning to clear beds, plant fall crops, and think ahead to what can be grown in the greenhouse over the winter.

John and Zoe chop wood on campus crew.

Campus Crew

This season marks an especially meaningful moment for our Forestry and Grounds crew. After many years of dedicated leadership, Steve Snyder has passed the torch, and we’re excited to welcome Zoe and John as the new co-managers of the team. John, who's been connected to the Farm since the 1980s, returned a few years ago with his wife Renee; and Zoe joined the team last year as a Commonwealth Corps member and has now stayed on as a full-time staff member. Their energy and vision will help carry forward the essential, everyday work of keeping our land, trails, and community spaces thriving.

Late summer into fall is always a busy stretch for this crew. Wood piles are growing as chopped and split logs are being prepared for fall delivery to houses around campus, trails are tended in preparation for cooler weather hikes, and garden beds across campus are being cleaned and readied for their rest. Apples are ripening, too, which means cider pressing days are just around the corner—a favorite community tradition that reminds us all of the sweetness tucked inside the season of letting go.

The leaf-strewn road from Retreat House down to Main House, fall 2024.

As Summer Fades and Fall Beckons

As we mark this turn of the year, we’re reminded that transition is something we share—whether it’s the shift of a season, the start of a school year, or a change in leadership. Each carries a mix of gratitude for what has been, and anticipation for what’s to come.

Here on the Farm, we are grateful for the summer’s fullness and ready to embrace the quieter, steadier pace that fall brings. We hope these glimpses into daily life at Gould Farm help you feel connected to the rhythms of this place. Wherever this season finds you, we wish you moments of abundance, community, and hopeful transition as we move forward together.