Provided By The ICPA
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 occurred 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 hours of sunlight. At the autumn equinox, we prepare for the gradual increase in darkness until the darkest night of the year, which occurs on the winter solstice. Autumn is a time of preparation, a time for 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 plants, they go dormant for winter, making autumn an ideal time to harvest edible and medicinal roots. Root vegetables, such as carrots and sweet potatoes, as well as medicinal herbs like burdock and dandelion root, are 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.
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