Autumn Stewardship
( Autumn Landscape by Victor Westerholm) “…True, the urge to feast and relax can be intense. The long summer months out in the scorching sun are enough to sap the energy from even the fittest of us. It would indeed be unwise to continue work at the summer’s relentless pace, but labor on the land cannot stop just yet. Harvest is, after all, only half of the work needed for the food to reach our plates. Much of the produce from land must be processed if it is to become edible; other crops need to be preserved to prevent spoilage. The smallholder and farmer must not relax yet, however, for he can still augment the good of the harvest if he embraces frugality and patience, fastidiousness and orderly preparation for just a little longer. There is no need to grumble about the continual hard work of autumn, however, for preparation can be an enjoyable affair. Canning, preserving, and pickling have all experienced a renaissance in recent times as people rediscover the arts and customs of thei
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