Autumn Harvest
There is a perceptible change in the atmosphere as summer transforms into autumn, which is marked by the equinox. This year’s autumn equinox occurs on September 22. The root word of “equinox” is “equal,” and that is because it is the time of year when there is an equal amount of daylight and darkness. At the spring equinox, we were preparing for the increase in light leading up to the summer solstice, the day with the most sunlight hours. At the autumn equinox, we are preparing to be plunged into more and more darkness until the darkest night of the year occurs on the winter solstice. Autumn is a time of preparation, of gathering our inner and outer resources. It is the time in the seasonal cycle when the last of summer’s abundance is harvested and preserved to get us through the coming winter, and the time when tending the inner fire of the heart becomes essential as the sun begins to wane.
As the temperature grows colder, we see the return of many cool weather plants, such as dandelions and violets, once again encouraging lymphatic and digestive movement before the winter stillness sets in. As the vital force returns to the roots of the plants as they go dormant for winter, autumn becomes an ideal time to harvest edible and medicinal roots. Root veggies, such as carrots and sweet potatoes, as well as medicinals like burdock and dandelion root, become ready for harvest. Squashes of various kinds are prolific this time of year, including pumpkin, which has become a seasonal icon in its own right. Hiking in autumn can be an enjoyable way to take in the dramatic changes in the landscape, forage for wild foods such as persimmons, nuts, and mushrooms, and keep the body moving while soaking in what is left of the sun’s warmth.
Early autumn is an ideal time to prepare remedies for the cold half of the year and take stock of your home wellness supplies. Fire cider prepared around the autumn equinox can often last for most of the winter, and elderberry syrup can be frozen in batches to take out as needed. Warming spices, such as cinnamon and ginger, feature prominently in some of the season’s well-known foods and beverages, lending their energetic balance to the colder environment we experience as the freezing weather sets in. Family traditions commonly involve food, and we can find ways to connect these traditions with the seasonal cycle by harvesting seasonal produce from our own gardens, or visiting local apple orchards and pumpkin farms. Warm cider, pumpkin pie, hot soup, and bubbling pots of broth lend color and scent to our homes.
As the sun wanes, the dark half of the year features festivals of light throughout countless cultures and traditions across the world. As unique as each one of these holidays and festivals may be, one thing they have in common is the recognition of the human instinct to kindle light in darkness. Crafting candles and homemade lanterns is a tangible way to engage in this seasonal calling and align deeply with nature. The dark and the cold are necessary. Not only does the earth need this time of tending to the roots, but we also need this time to focus our vital energy inward. The fires in our hearths and the candles in our lanterns remind us that no matter how dark it gets, there is always a little light that never goes out, and in right timing, it grows and grows, just like the sun returns after the winter solstice.
10 Things to Do with Children in Autumn
1. Go apple picking
2. Leaf rubbings
3. Hiking
4. Candle making
5. Pumpkin decorating
6. Foraging
7. Lantern making
8. Camping
9. Baking
10. Make bird feeders
Eating in Season: Apples, Nuts, Beets, Potatoes, Cauliflower, Pears, Carrots, Squash, Kale, Mushrooms, Broccoli, Grapes, Brussels Sprouts
By Erin Blank Pathways to Family Wellness Magazine Issue #87
Provided and published by ICPA. For more information, visit discoverkidshealth.com | For more articles, visit pathwaystofamilywellness.com
