Quick!  Before winter sets in and we are all house-bound for months, you must get outside and have some fun enjoying fall.

We have some fall traditions around our farm.

Maybe you are just beginning your homesteading journey or have been at it for years.  No matter where you are in life it’s never too late to begin some memory-making traditions.

The great thing about our usual fall activities is that they are fabulously fun no matter how cold it is.

AS LONG AS IT DOESN’T RAIN 

Fall is just gorgeous around here.  Our property is approximately 99% woods so you can imagine what the views are like.

I drive my children nuts during morning chores in fall because I just stand around looking at trees.  I am usually saying something like,

“Can you believe we live here?”

“Did you see the trees?”

“Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?

“Thank you, Lord.”

The only season I like more than fall is spring and summer.

Sorry.

I’m a summer-loving, sweat-needing, bathing suit-wearing, beach-loving, outdoor-craving, sun-worshiping kind of gal.

Fall is pretty, and I can appreciate that, but for me, fall only means one thing…

WINTER IS COMING.  

Blaaaah.

To keep my mind off the fact that my least favorite season is approaching, I revel in our favorite things to do in fall.  We do them every year (almost).

There are 4 events that happen every fall at our farm

Everyone looks forward to them and loves them.

Fall Tradition #1

THE BONFIRE

By far this is the biggest event during fall around our place.  It gets rained out approximately 50% of the time, so if we actually get to have our well-planned, long-awaited, beloved bonfire it’s always a roaring success.

Decorating for the bonfire may be as much fun as the actual event.  The entire party takes place in our barn and just outside of it.  The house is off-limits.

We serve all the food, drinks and fun in the big red barn.

We have a cute little outhouse behind the barn if anyone needs to take care of business.

If the weather is cold that’s even better because the bonfire can’t get “snowed out.”  If it flurries, it adds to the fun.  You can always make the fire bigger.

If it rains, too bad, it’s cancelled.  Sadness.

We had live music this year thanks to my 2 teenagers and a few of their friends.  I would tell you the name of their band, but it keeps changing.

The evolution of names:

1. George and The Pigs  (Thanks to their mother – go here to read about that)
2. Bury the Survivors (which has a complicated riddle behind it and was impossible to remember)
3. Unnecessary Loudness  (which I think is funny and fitting – best part is they came up with it on their own)

Unnecessary Loudness is the current name – but it is subject to change again next week.

Kentucky Burgoo is the star of the Bonfire.  People eat it by the quart and no matter how many gallons of it I make, there is never any left.

To make some for your homestead go here.

You won’t be sorry – be sure to make 14 gallons because you’ll need it.

Fall Tradition #2

HAY RIDES

Whether at our farm or at a friend’s farm or a local pumpkin patch, we never seem to miss the annual hay ride.  It usually involves pumpkins, music and friends which makes it even better.

My youngest daughter was invited to help, “drive” the horses pulling the hay wagon.  This is the child who always gets to drive, get’s picked first, and gets free hand-outs where ever we happen to be.

• Here – She got a free caramel apple at the Apple Festival
• Here – She get’s a free fruit at Dattilo’s every time we go
• Here – She got to drive the Tractor

Even if DH pulls the kids behind a 4-wheeler – it counts!  Hay rides are fun for everyone.

Fall Tradition #3

HUNTING

I’m gonna say that most of you would rather look at pictures of the farm in fall instead of dead deer, BUT around these parts, you gotta love the free, organic, non-GMO, pastured, free-rangin’ meat that comes from our woods.

Venison = Oh Yeah.

If you are new to venison here’s a couple great recipes to get you off and running:

• How to Cook a Deer Leg
• Best Venison Burgers you ever Ate (How to Grind your Own Meat)
• Kentucky Burgoo

The men do most of the hunting, but the ladies get in on the fun too.

Yes, I have shot a deer.  I got my first deer with a muzzle loader a couple of years ago.  Totally awesome.  If you’ve never been hunting you probably wouldn’t understand.  Even if you’ve been hunting you may not get it until you get your first deer.  It’s addictive.  Deer fever.  It’s a problem.

Some people have shoe problems.  Some have flower problems.  Some have deer fever.  It’s real.  Trust me.

There’s more to it than hanging a trophy on a wall:

1. There’s the thrill of bagging your buck
2. There’s the fun of watching your sons and daughters get their first deer (or 2nd or 3rd or any)
3. There’s the satisfaction of providing healthy, organic meat for the family.

Deer hunting – all good.

Fall Tradition #4

THANKSGIVING

Of course I can’t leave out Thanksgiving.

We go to my Uncle’s house.  He has a giant bonfire and tables covered in food.

He always cooks 3 turkeys (one fried, one smoked, one baked) and a ham.  Everyone brings a side and a dessert.  We eat lunch around 2:00 and spend the rest of the day grazing, visiting and enjoying the holiday.

All the kids run around, climb trees and play with their cousins.

Thanksgiving is a treasure.

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Happy Fall!

Candi