There is something about the fall that has always felt wonderful to me. The feel of cooler winds across my face is a sensation I love. This time of year always feels brief and fleeting, which more acutely has me feeling both nostalgic and alive at the same time. Days that can be warm and sunny turn to nights that quickly remind you winter is coming, creating a sense of savoring the sun's rays.

In recent years I have taken to the idea of embracing the cold more. Feeling and listening to it and learning about the lessons this powerful force of nature holds. As the temperatures begin to cool down, I have delayed the impulse to quickly add layers. Feeling the cold and letting my body adapt to the changes has been pleasantly worthwhile.

The sight and sound of leaves blowing to their resting place is a reminder of time passing and moving on. Gather some of those leaves up to add to the gardens and compost piles. Imagine forests abundant with life with no additional inputs. Leaves fall onto the ecosystem of the forest floor, decomposing and adding to the fertility of the soil and ground cover. A forest covers the soil and protects it.

As you are closing out your gardens for the season, are you covering the soil you work hard to build and replenish? Think about the protection and building of the soil like a forest by continually adding layers of organic matter and mimicking this in your garden beds. You may also choose to save some dry leaves as carbon inputs to your spring and summer compost. Shredding the leaves can speed up the decomposition. You can even plant and grow certain vegetables, such as winter squash, in a pile of partially broken down leaves.

As you work on your gardens and yards, listen to the trees and the natural cycles working to prepare for the cold weather, the cycles that are also preparing for new growth after the passing of the cold.

Happy Fall,

Joe Kilcoyne
Wild Earth Farm LLC