The Farm's First Signs of Fall: A Time for Reflection & Learning
Recent hurricane and tropical storm activity down in the Gulf have ushered in some mid-October storms, and with them, full-on Fall and its seasonal signs here on the farm. With being located in East Tennessee, weather systems that happen way down south still impact us and we’re always grateful for the updates from the local meteorologists.
But it doesn’t take a weather scientist to see the first real indicators of Fall. All the colors of the farm are telling. The leaves, especially on our tulip poplars and maples, have started turning a yellow as well as bright, fiery red. The acorns from our oaks are dropping, attracting lots of deer and wildlife beneath some of the sprawling branches, and the goldenrod and other late-summer/early-fall blooms are beginning to fade from yellow to brown.
The plantlife and trees coloring the mountains are about to show us, as they have each year, how beautiful it is to let things go. It’s also heralding reflection, reminding us that the first signs of Fall are good markers for seasonal to-do lists, of which we have many.
Reflecting on…. This Past Year
As with each passing year, reflecting on how the year has gone on the farm is a soothing way to remind us all how far we’ve come, and prepares us for how much further we have to go as we look toward the end of the current calendar year. Given our careers shared among the family, we all tend to view the passing of time as a series of quarterly spectacles, so as we’ve rounded the fall-foliaged bend into Q4, we have to remind ourselves to stop and take in the view while on the climb.
In the homesteading and farming community, we’ve learned that Fall is the ideal time to reflect on the wins, losses, and adjust our game plan heading into winter. When doing this, it makes us slow down, which can be easier said than done amidst all the pending to-do lists….a tractor needs repairs, another fence needs mending, a field needs more bush-hogging - we’re often thinking about all the “to-dos” that seem the most urgent.
But over the past year, we’ve realized that with tending pigs, chickens, gardens and more, the best way to reflect on them is how things have gone… simply by asking:
What went well?
What didn’t go well?
What seems to be missing?
What can we learn from this?
Applying this reflection practice for the Fall season is part of the whole operation.
Reflecting on…. The Leaves of Our Trees
One of the bigger storms of the season took out a large branch of one of our older oak trees. The twisted, old branch was - and mostly still is - full of acorns. Bundles of acorns adorn the branches of fading leaves, attracting herds of deer and other critters that enjoy the nutritious nuts.
Our Idaho Pasture Pigs especially enjoy a tasty acorn or dozens. While not a staple to their diet, if the pigs happen upon any fallen ripe acorns, we’ve seen them snack to their hearts’ content.
As the leaves are starting to lose their chlorophyll production with the fading daylight hours, the colors are beginning to change, and some leaves are already falling fast thanks to the windy conditions of late. With the fallen leaves, we know not to scoop them up (unless, of course, the little kids want to jump into leaf piles), since we’re aware that with Fall chores, the leaves can be a good thing to “leaf” alone. Fallen leaves are excellent for next year’s pollinator larvae, such as fireflies.
We all love to watch the farm fields light up with fireflies in the summertime. So we definitely want to help steward the next generation of the firefly population. Adult fireflies, as pollinators, love nectar and pollen, and - to lay their larvae in fallen leaves over fall and winter. And what do the larvae love to feast on? Snails, slugs and grub. Their feasting then helps to protect our gardening endeavors overall. It’s all connected, and as we reflect on Fall season chores, we fully intend to “leaf” the leaves.
Reflecting on…. Project Importance
We have a nearly endless list of projects we’re planning. That’s life on a working family farm, and above all, we’re grateful for the work that keeps us active and alert. Projects, like everything else, take time, energy, patience, and understanding of scope and scale. Patience doesn’t always come easy, admittedly.
In reflecting on the projects we have coming up for the farm, however tedious, simple, or grand (though we prefer to keep everything as simple as possible - or our version of “asap”), the projects are part of what keep us connected to the land. That is likely the most important Fall reflection, because it touches on why we’re here: to grow and raise quality products for our family and community.
The importance of projects then hinges on that fact, that absolute truth. We know our easy-going Idaho Pasture Pigs require several mini-projects, we know our chickens need a few projects done to keep their delicious eggs laying, and we know our gardens’ project list will remain active as we make preparations for the seasons, but it’s all for the greater good - staying connected to the land on which we’re raising and growing good food.
What We’re Learning
We may not have all the answers or perfectly aced to-do lists, but we’re continuing to learn as we grow. We’re learning for now, that Fall is a beautiful time for reflecting on what we’ve accomplished, what we can do better, and what we can let go. Everything else, like the cycles of the year, will fall into place.
Interested in what we’ve got available this season on the farm? Check out our What’s Available page.