One of the concepts of organic farming is that you plant what grows naturally in your soil and climate. Therefore, fewer inputs (fertilizer and pest deterrents) are needed to put some food on the plate. 

Lucky for us, peppers grow very well on our farm with minimal "input". I like that they thrive into the late summer and fall when other members of this plant family (tomatoes, eggplants) are exasperated from the raucous summer growth. Peppers stretch out our season and give us beautifully fresh and colorful produce up until the first freeze. 

This is the great thing about utilizing plant diversity. By studying and planting appropriate varieties, a farmer can always find a plant to fill a niche. Roasting red peppers over the fire in October? There's a niche that needs  to be filled! 

We found this amazing caterpillar on one of our young apple trees. It is huge! And from the looks of it, I think it could have eaten the whole tree...stems and all, if we hadn't of brought it in to show our son. As is turns out, we kept it as a pet long enough to learn about it and watch it spin the chrysalis (above right). 

This is a Cecropia moth which has a fascinating story........including the fact that the adult moth has no feeding mouth parts. Therefore, all of its energy is stored from its summer days as a hungry caterpillar. And its life as a moth is strictly for reproduction. Also interesting, is that the energy is stored through the long and cold New Jersey winter before the mouthless moth emerges to find a mate in the spring.

Yet another example of the endless wonders of life on the farm.

2014 was a banner year for our beans. They grew beautifully without any pest or disease pressure. How often does that happen?

We planted two rows of green bush beans and 1 row of purple beans. Mixed in with the harvest are a few wide heirloom "goose beans" from Pennsylvania Amish country and some green pole beans (think Jack and the Beanstalk style here). 

With so many beans hanging off the plants, we took the opportunity to have the grand opening of our first farm stand on the Labor Day weekend. It was bursting with green and purple.  Special thanks to Ruthie and Russ our neighbors who were our first customers!

The different colors and textures were fun to work with (although the purple beans turn green when cooked). And beans, being "nitrogen fixers" do nice things for the soil. Because of their benefit to the garden and versatility in the kitchen, I highly recommend adding beans to your garden plan.