Leaves changing color is a sure mark of fall setting in.
Today marks the Fall or Autumnal Equinox here in the Northern Hemisphere. Today is one of 2 days in the year that the amount of daylight and dark is as close to 50/50 as it can be.
By now you’re noticing the diminishing daylight. While most children are in school even us homeschoolers have kids coming in earlier as the daylight fades away.
For us in the deep south the equinox means something more – the promise of cooler weather. We’re starting to be teased with it, as our overnight low temperatures are finally dropping below 70F. In fact is was a cool 65F when I got up this morning. Excellent. However, we’re also being reminding that while it is the “first day of fall”, summer isn’t letting go of its grip easily – as the high today is forecast to be 95F. Mercy.
A Connecticut Field Pumpkin just about ripe.
As gardeners most of us are harvesting and putting up our goods via canning, dehydrating, fermenting, freezing, or even just storing away winter squashes, potatoes, carrots and other root crops for the winter. In our climate this time is a reminder that we have one last chance to try and get in a few “cool crops” before our first frost, which is still a good 45 days away.
It is also allergy season here, which has been my personal nemesis this last week. While the goldenrod is blooming and feeding our bees, which we’ll eventually enjoy as well, the ragweed is in full force as well. If you are really good at prepping now is the time you start making your goldenrod tincture to help fight against the ragweed allergies next year.
These deer are doing their best pose for the deer camera.
Around our parts this time of year also brings in the start of hunting season, which is now only 9 days away. With the heat we’ve had this year it is likely that the deer won’t be worth harvesting for a few months to come, but one must always be worried about whether your neighbor gets the first shot. We can’t let that happen! I’ve been preparing our deer feed plot and, as our law here allows, feeding them milo until the season starts. With luck that will keep the deer on my property and not the neighbors!
So whatever the fall equinox means to you I hope it is a time you can enjoy.
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