Autumn Equinox Weed Walk and Kitchen Update

It's the equinox and from here on out the days will be shorter than the nights here in the northern hemisphere.  The weather has turned cooler and the leaves are starting to change color.  Everything that is going to set fruit this season is doing so and herbs and flowers for winter remedies abound.  This is going to be a photo roundup of what we've been doing and seeing around here lately.

Hope you enjoy!

Prickly Cucumber

Deadly Nightshade

Take a seat

and another seat.  Stay for a while.

Poke berries

Another wild "Rubus" berry

Black Berries

Elderberries!  This is the first time I've ever found these and I've been watching them all season.

Nettles growing on a log

color in the wind

Jewelweed in blossom.  Some of these were as tall as me!

Can you tell the wind's blowing??!  Purple Aster.  There's A LOT of purple aster this season.

And in the kitchen??

Crabapples

The last of the tomatoes

and grapes in the dehydrator to make room for:

APPLES!

The apple crop is great this year and the fruit was so close to the ground that the kids could easily reach it. They filled our 1/2 peck bag right to the top!  I'm super-excited about my apple recipe ideas and activities I have planned to try with these.