Welcoming Fall on the Farm

By Ron Eichner

Hi folks, in the third quarter of the year, fall is beautiful, and farms in the area are busy. September is a big harvesting month for farmers, and interestingly, vegetable sales have recently fallen off, which puzzles me. For decades, vegetable sales have been strong, especially sweet corn from September to October. However, now it is said that kids are back at school and eating habits have changed. Well, I agree with starting school, but for decades customers have sought fresh vegetables and sweet corn through the end of the season, and the harvest season can run well into October. 

October is the first full month of fall with the temperatures cooling. Daylight gets shorter, and area trees sport vibrant autumn foliage. October brings people to local farms for pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks, fall activities, community events, and Halloween on October 31. If you're looking for pumpkins in many shapes and sizes, our farm is a great place to go. Large fall mums are also available.

Oktoberfest is an important part of our family’s strong German heritage. In Munich, Germany, this is the 191^st celebration, running from September 19 through October 4. Here, we celebrate Oktoberfest throughout October. At our farm, we offer six types of lean pork sausage, bratwurst, kielbasa, and fermented sauerkraut in pints and quarts.

November starts with All Saints’ Day on November 1 and All Souls’ Day on November 2. Daylight saving time ends and clocks fall back to standard time on November 1 at 2:00 a.m., unless Congress passes a permanent time change bill before then. Americans will set their clocks back one hour.

Thanksgiving is always the 4^th Thursday of November, and it is truly an American holiday. Thanksgiving is about gratitude. It’s a day when people gather and take time to appreciate the blessings and good happenings in our lives, with family and friends coming together and giving thanks, even for the Thanksgiving turkey. It is usually stuffed and baked in the oven with side dishes of fruits and vegetables, and pumpkin and apple pies are all part of the tradition.

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

If you need greeting cards, we are selling a fantastic selection called Cori’s Card Corner. It features cards that reflect farming, pets, birthdays, and more.

You are welcome to stop by our farm market throughout the fall if you're looking for nutritionally grown seasonal vegetables, our high-energy eggs, bacon, six types of homemade pork sausage, kielbasa, lean ground beef and lamb by the pound, and roasting chickens all ready for your grills. Michelle’s buckeyes are a hit, and we also have homemade cookies sold by the dozen.             

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