LOYAL FARMKETEERS, welcome to the 2016 Presidential Election Issue of Crop Alerts & Farm Buzz.  In our country of 320 million people, it has boiled down (some might say melted down) to two individuals.  Two out of 320,000,000.  And soon to be one.  One to lead us all.  One cursed apple from the whole blessed orchard.

It’s preposterous!  When you ‘Creekniks — you lovely and diverse ‘Creekniks — come picking at The ‘Creek, we don’t say, “You have to elect one apple.  You have to pick one apple from this whole orchard.  And that apple might not even like your kind of people.  But you have to keep that apple on your collective kitchen counter til 2021.”

On the contrary, you can pick as many apples as you want.  But there is one rule:  You can’t stop time.  And the clock is ticking.  This week is almost certainly your last chance to pick Mutsu apples and Rome Beauty apples.  Only a few trees left.  First come, first get.  Ready… go.

Same deal with donuts.  You don’t have to elect just one.  You can buy bag after bag.  But this weekend is probably your last chance til next autumn.  We’re leaning toward shutting down the donut factory on Sunday at 5 PM.

Orchard Ambrosia!  We are still pressing fresh cider every week.  Get your gallons and half-gallons.  Might only have a few more weeks of cider.

Here is one way to extend your season:  Fill your carboys with bulk cider.  This is unpasteurized Orchard Ambrosia which you can get for only $5/gallon (5-10 gallons) or $4/gallon (over 10 gallons).  Just leave your carboys with your name and number.  We will fill at our next pressing and give you a ring.  Then you can make winter hooch.

Another way to extend your fresh-food feels:  Make sauce from apples you pick or buy at the stand.  Mix and match, blend and boil.  @mapleandmatcha

A few other things to pick while they last:  delicata squash, last hot and bell peppers, Brussels sprouts.  You can also get squash, sprouts, apples, pears and more at the stand.

Yes, folks, time to pick the crops clean.  Local food is precious.  You all did a good job on the pumpkins.  Just a few left from the THOUSANDS we planted.  These stragglers will go to The Piggery pigs.  Nobody cares about pumpkins after October 31.  @arstephens18

Yes, the seasons are really turning in the Finger Lakes foodshed.  We are still open every day 10 AM til 5 PM.  After this Sunday, it will be dark by 5 PM anyway.  @gregdov

Rain or shine, the farm is open daily.  We are here at the stand or doing chores around the farm.  You might find Amanda warming her magic potions on the woodstove, such as this “Golden Milk,” a healing brew featuring turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, honey, coconut, black pepper, ginger…  @redbearbotanica

Well, Dear Farmketeers, by the time of our next crop alert, there will be a new POTUS electus.  It is a messy business choosing one person to lead us all.  Not the 1%, but the 1 PERSON, or 0.0000003125% of the population.  When we farmers get bogged down in the heady math of politics, we look to Zorro to break things down for us.  He does not disappoint.  His single word of wisdom for today:  “Foooooood.”   Hope to see you at The ‘Creek.