Late Summer

It's late summer here at the farm and everything is changing. The nights are cooler now, the pumpkins are turning from green to orange and the giant sunflower heads have begun to drop under the weight of their seeds. The tempo of the crickets have slowed, and the birds are more active than ever anticipating the coming cooler weather. It's time to think about planting a fall garden, harvesting apples and putting food up for the winter. Fall is my favorite time of year. To me there is nothing better than the smell of fallen leaves, the sound of football whistles and the taste of hot apple cider. I love the smell of pumpkins while they are being carved, seeing acorn candy on store shelves and eating pumpkin seeds. There is something nostalgic about all of it. It's during this time of year that I miss home the most. I long for the beautiful foliage of Massachusetts, the trips to my favorite orchard and walking along the beaches when they have been abandoned by the summer vacationers. I love making new memories here at the farm, ones that my children will one day look back on and long for after they have left to go and make their own way in the world.
Fall at our farm means picking apples, raking leaves, burning twigs, cleaning chicken coops, feeding the birds, collecting leaves from our maple trees and lots of baking.
What memories will you make with your family this fall?

A mouth full of Germ X and other life's lessons

Some things that I have learned along the way

-Live your life as if someone is watching, because they are

-Don't eat after using Germ X. Those of you that have done this already know why, those who have not let me assure you that it tastes worse than it smells.

-Tomato Horn Worms will try to stab you with that HUGE thorn on their back so if you find one in your garden get a pair of tongs to pick it up then and feed it to your chickens. If you don't have chickens and your plant is already gone then leave it, they turn into the beautiful sphinx moth, which is an excellent pollinator.

-Alton Brown is THE GOD of Food Network

-True friends are worth more than all the gold in the world, hold on to them for dear life!

-If you are going to go on a diet don't go any buy all your favorite junk food before you start, then you will have to lose an extra 5 pounds or maybe more

- Weeds will take over if you don't pull them out every day, this goes for your garden and your life.

- Don't leave Raisinets in your car during the summer, they all melt together and it's not pretty.

- Your kids grow up so fast. You blink and they are teenagers. Enjoy every moment that you have with them, it will be gone before you know it.

- If you haven't read books about George Washington Carver you should. He was an amazing man.

- Don't feed your chickens off your porch. One day you will go out to find chickens waiting by the door for a treat. Feed them as far away from your house as possible.

- Mice make really good pets, snakes do NOT.

- Most spiders are good, and so are bats. They eat lots of mosquitoes and other annoying insects.

- It's OK to let your kids get dirty and messy. It's lots of fun and everything can be washed when they are done.

- Lysol is your friend during cold and flu season. Spray door knobs, light switches, faucet handles, car door handles, phones and anything else that you touch. If you can't use Lysol spray, the Clorox wipes are great too.

- After you have recovered from and illness throw away your toothbrush and get a new one.

- A container full of rice or kidney beans and a few cups will keep a preschooler occupied for at least an hour.

- Spend a lot of time with the elderly. They can be your wisest and dearest friends. Be sure to take your kids with you.

- If you only had one month to live what would you do? Go and do it now. Life is short and you may never get the chance again. You never know when you are going to be called home.

- Forgive and forgive and forgive.

and finally let me leave you with a quote from George Washington Carver

How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.