"Listen! the wind is rising, and the air is wild with leaves,
we have had our summer evenings, now for October eves!"
Humbert Wolfe (1885-1940)

Full Moon: October has two Full Moon to occur during the month. The first, occurring on Thursday, October 1st was recognized last month as the Harvest Moon (the full moon falling closest to the Autumnal Equinox). The second to occur is the Hunter’s Moon. Named because of the extra light it provided many Native Americans to extend their hunt for food into the early evening, it will occur on Saturday, October 31st. It was also referred to as Moon of the Falling Leaves and Yellow Leaf Moon by the Cree Tribe because many of the trees lose the last of their leaves during the month and because of the many leaves turning that color during October.

Holidays: Columbus Day is observed on Monday, October 12th, United Nations Day is celebrated on Saturday, the 24th, and Halloween falls on Saturday, October 31st.

Special Notes: Remember get your flu shots early this year! And follow current guidelines for protecting yourself, your family and loved ones as well as others we may encounter throughout our day. October is Fire Prevention Month. In 1922, the National Fire Protection Association named the second week of October Fire Prevention Week in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. Today, we celebrate Fire Prevention Week and Month by raising fire safety awareness and educating families, students and communities across the United States. During this month, fire departments provide education to their communities, and encourage parents and loved ones to practice fire safety and whole home safety. Have an evacuation plan ready with your family and check smoke detector batteries often

The Garden: There is still time left to plant perennial seeds and bulbs! With a little effort at Fall planting time, you will speed the timing of that first new growth by as much as a month. During the fall months, after soil temperature drops below 60EF., the bulbs of spring flowering Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinths, Siberian Squill, Dwarf Irises, Anemone, and Crocus should be planted. Most spring flowering bulbs should be in the ground by the early part of this month, with the exception of Tulips which can be planted up until early November. Select healthy, disease free bulbs. Add bone meal or bulb fertilizer into the planting hole, as you prepare the soil. One last effort at weeding will help to improve the appearance of your garden throughout the winter. Any weed that you can eliminate from the garden this fall will possibly prevent thousands of weed seeds from sprouting in the garden next spring!

The Farm: Best for planting root crops (4, 5, 15, 16); weeding and stirring the soil (11, 12); planting above-ground crops (17, 18); harvesting all crops (1, 2, 3); the best days for setting hens and incubators (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31); the slaughtering and butchering of meat (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22); transplanting (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22); the weaning of all small animals and livestock (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27); harvesting and storing grains (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15).

J. Gruber’s Thought For Today’s Living

“Be fair in the criticism of others, but more so in that of yourself.”