Enjoying fall rituals

Fall is here and along with it comes some of our favorite fall rituals.
1. The first apple pie of the season. We have a number of apple trees that produce from August through October. We always look forward to making that first pie with our own apples. In early August we have Lodi and the heirloom apple Duchess. Later in September we pick our favorite – crisp Cortlands. Also in September we pick the hardy climate Harralson, Northwestern Greening and the huge Wold River apple. In October the sweet Honey Gold apple ripens last. We freeze plenty for sauces, crisps and pies. We have new Honeycrisp trees that will bear in a few years.
2. The first pot of chili. When there is a chill in the night air, it’s time to make that first pot of chili. We let it simmer all day for the spices to fully develop. It’s always better when we use our own tomatoes from the garden. We’ve been canning juice to take us through the winter.
3. Fall decorating. The abundance of our garden supplies the majority of our natural fall décor. Squashes, pumpkins and colorful gourds all make the house more festive. A large corn shock graces the front porch to welcome guests. We scour the woods for bittersweet and bright red hawthorn branches.
4. Lastly, fall baking fills the house with the wonderful fragrances of the season. The aroma of apple and pumpkin pies and baked goods add a warm, spicy, homey welcome when you walk in the door.
Welcome fall and all the rituals that it brings.