Transitioning into November

By Ron Eichner

Hi folks, November is a time of transition, reflection, and preparation. As the year draws to a close, many family farms that grow fruits and vegetables finish out their harvest season.

Each November begins with All Saints’ Day on November 1 and All Souls’ Day on November 2. Traditional Christians observe and honor saints and remember their deceased loved ones.

Daylight saving time also ends, and clocks fall back to Eastern Standard Time. Folks will get an extra hour of sleep on Sunday, November 1 at 2:00 a.m. A new twist is happening with the time change: the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Act this past July, by a 308-117 bipartisan vote to make daylight saving time permanent nationwide. The process still needs to go through the Senate so time will tell.

Election Day is on November 3. It is always held in the United States on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November, so get out and vote! Veterans Day is November 11, which is a time to remember all military veterans and all who have served.

Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday in November, and it is all about gratitude, a day when people take a moment to appreciate the good things in their lives, with family and friends coming together to give thanks, even for the turkey, which is usually stuffed and baked in the oven with countless side dishes of vegetables. Pies are also part of that tradition: pumpkin, apple, and other assorted flavors.

Our family farm has run a turkey donation program for years with the Little Sisters of the Poor, Benedictine Sisters, Light of Life Mission, and anyone who is in need. A $100 donation provides one turkey for people in need. If you can support our turkey donation program, it is for a great cause.

Cori’s Card Corner has a fantastic selection of greeting cards reflecting farming, pets, birthdays, and more, displayed in our farm market. We also have Michelle and Teresa’s homemade chocolate candy and buckeyes, along with homemade cookies sold by the dozen, which are always a big hit. Believe it or not, I make the homemade pies for the holidays with my secret homemade pie crusts.

Making breakfast at my house is easy with high-energy eggs, plus slices of Canadian bacon and six types of super-lean pork sausage. We have four-pound roasting chickens and fully cooked hams; half or whole can complement a turkey for Thanksgiving. Advance orders are required.

Nestled in a valley, our farm market and greenhouses are open seven days a week. You are welcome to make our family farm a year-round destination. Visit Eichner’s Whole Farm and Greenhouses at 285 Richard Road in Wexford and discover “the rest of the story.”