Sukkot and agriculture

Sukkot & agriculture:
From Wikipedia: "Sukkot is agricultural in origin... Coming as it did at the completion of the harvest, Sukkot was regarded as a general thanksgiving for the bounty of nature in the year that had passed."
I am sure that sukkot during the time of the bible was the holiday of gathering the crops, the end of one growing season and the beginning of another. When the crops are abundant and pretty, everyone is happy and the holiday is appropriate!
"Thou shalt keep the feast of tabernacles seven days, after thou hast gathered in from thy threshing-floor and from thy winepress." (Deut. 16:13).
Our garden is really emptying from the summer crops and we are busy busy with sowing and planting for the next season. The summer crops that you see in our seasonal boxes are slowly giving their place to winter vegetables. Last week we had roquette and chard, green leafy winter vegetables thanks to the recent cooling down, alongside the summer's corn and eggplants which we will soon miss dearly.

In the meantime, like in all periods of seasonal change, the variety is increased but there are more chances for changes and unexpected modifications of the list. This may result in us having more or less of a certain crop since we cannot forecast the quantities well.

Last week we received reinforcement for the compost that we produce - 5 huge sacks of organic compost - so we can enrich our soil very well before this year's rains begin. (good blessed rain...)
Slowly those sacks are emptying and their contents are entering our soil.

Whenever we work the earth and sow (it happens throughout the year but now it's much more intense because everything is making way for winter crops) we worry about the upcoming new season. Will this winter be rich with rain or will it be poor and dry? The water problem in our country is an ancient problem. The Torah is full of stories about draughts and hunger and quarrels over water sources. In our climate, even today, we are very much dependant on the rain. If it does not rain enough, the water we receive is limited and very expensive.

We hope for lots of rain, blessed gentle rains that are not too strong.... And really, according to tradition, the rain expected for the coming year is determined during sukkot:
"בגשמי אורה תאיר אדמה,
בגשמי ברכה תברך אדמה,
בגשמי גילה תגיל אדמה...".
After Simchat Torah the rain maker is only mentioned. Only in two weeks, when the pilgrims return to their homes from celebrating in Jerusalem, can we all wholeheartedly, with singing and dancing, with drums and rain sticks, and with hope, make the above prayer... "with rains of light the earth will be lighted, with rains of blessing the earth will be blessed, with rains of joy the earth will be made joyous..."
So keep up your strength, and pray!
Have a cool, easy & fun week,
Yours,
Maggie

Our expectation list for this week follows. You may read about any of the listed vegetables by clicking its name on the list on the left side of the web page. If there are any changes (nature being nature), you may find out about them via this link on the day of delivery.With all of the new beginnings and endings, lets hope for only good changes - in the boxes also.
Regular boxes:
Cucumbers
Lettuce

Tomatoes

Kayle

Celery

Radishes

Cilantro

Green onions

Ramiro Peppers

Zucchini

Sweet potatoes or Regular potatoes

In the large ones also:

Kolorabi

Pumpkin

Onions

Parsley

Fruit baskets

Apples and Oranges