As the leaves begin change and the days grow shorter it is a sure sign that the seasons are beginning to change. Summer is giving way to fall and cooler temperatures are upon us. On the farm it is with eager anticipation that we look forward to this change.  We long for the day when the cursed day light savings time is reversed.  When we make that withdrawal of one hour, sixty minutes, of blessed additional sleep that was stolen from us seven and one half months earlier and “saved” in who knows where. Have you ever wondered where they “save” the daylight?  It is probably in the same place they have been putting our Social Security payments for all those years, or may be where all our missing socks are going. You may have gathered by now that we do not like daylight savings time.  It is not natural and is not in sync with nature.  If that is the case, then why do we do it? 

Our understanding of how daylight savings time began was to give us more daylight in the evening so we would use less electric for lights.  Hum! We have an idea, let’s turn off the television, turn off the lights and go to bed earlier.  Think of how much we would reduce our daily electricity demand by going to bed earlier in the winter. I am all for saving energy (especially if it means going to bed earlier).  Now you know our real reasons we hate day light savings, the loss of SLEEP! On the farm our chores start before daylight and end after sunset.  The later the sun sets the later our day ends.  When the days are shorter so are our work days, they go from sixteen hours a day to only twelve.

The natural cycle of the seasons has the earth and the animals celebrating the cool, short days of winter by resting.  In spring and summer the earth produces its bounty of warm season fruits and vegetables. We humans and the animals spend the summer and fall gathering food to store in our reserves for the winter. Remember the squirrels and chip monks with their stores of nuts.  They work hard all fall storing nuts for the winter.  In the last 50 years we nutty, squirrelly humans not only refuse to rest in the winter but we insist on eating summer produce in the dead of winter.  No storing of nuts and root vegetables or growing a winter garden with kale or other leafy greens for us! We must have green beans, tomatoes, corn, and even strawberries shipped to us from thousands of miles away. The longer food is picked, the more nutritional value is lost. Food that was produced who knows where, by only God knows who, using farming practices that maybe unhealthy is not harmful to you.  Food that was produced who knows where, by only God knows who, using farming practices that maybe unhealthy if not harmful to you. So, now you understand why we are constantly saying “buy from a local producer, if at all possible.”

Yes, your bodies do change like the seasons.  Our children would quickly point out that Keith is a prime example of this. Like the leaves of the tree turns to beautiful reds, oranges, browns and then lose their leaves, Keith hair follows the same principle. It turns gray then loose. Or like the squirrel who stores his excess nuts in the center of the tree, Keith stores all his excess dinner in the center of his trunk.  Kids! From the mouth of babes comes the painful truth. But seriously, our bodies do change with the seasons.  During the long warm summer days we want cooler, lighter foods like chicken, fresh vegetables and salad. During the cold winter days we desire warm, hearty, meaty stews and soups and other rich foods. Most importantly our bodies crave more sleep, sleep from our long winter nap.  This diet of hearty foods and the restoring of our strength from the extended rest prepares us for the next long and productive spring and summer.

Remember to enjoy the cold and restful days of winter by actually resting and spending time with your family. Winter is God’s way of telling us to slow down and enjoy the fruits of your labor with the ones you love.