Autumn Thanks

As a farmer, this is truly the time of the season to give thanks. It’s the time of year when the last harvests are brought in for canning, root vegetables are pulled out of the hardening ground for storage and fields are turned over and planted with cover crops like winter rye and wheat. It’s the time of year where you breathe a sigh of relief that you did it, you made it through another farming season — and you are so grateful that you are still sane, and still standing. Recently, I finished planting our stock of German white hardneck garlic. If you have never had this variety, you have to try it. Called “the chef’s garlic” by garlic connoisseurs, German white has a little bit of a zing when eaten raw but produces a full-body gentle taste when cooked.  German white stores well, is easy to peel and is extremely flavorful in sauces, pestos and even roasted. It was a bittersweet moment for me when I was done planting — knowing that I just spread the last of the dirt and my work for the season was done. You spend all year planning, worrying and tending — and then when the fall comes, you gracefully take a bow and turn the land back over to itself, trusting that it has the innate knowledge to do what it needs to do until you meet that old friend again in the spring.I always try to listen to the land and learn lessons while I am in the fields, and autumn is always so abundantly clear — observing the bare trees and listening to the crunching sounds of red, yellow and orange leaves under your feet. I’d like to share some of these lessons with you. Autumn is the time to let go, to shed whatever it is that you are carrying, and know that it is going to be OK. It’s a time to let go of fear and anxiety of what the future holds, and shake your worries off like falling leaves — become that bare tree. It’s time to release the reins and know that we don’t need to always be burdened with the thought that our worlds will fall apart if we are not in complete control.Autumn is a time to simply be in the moment, and realize how blessed we are and how much we have to be thankful for. It’s a time to jump in those piles of leaves, feel them brush against your face and let their smell invigorate you. It’s a time to dance and play with the heart of a child and to do the things that bring us happiness and joy. It’s a time to enjoy our blessings and glorious gifts, knowing that it is never too late to fully live your life.As we enter into this season of giving thanks, remember to live your own life as beautifully as a forest full of autumn leaves — and share the color of your heart with everyone you meet.