Autumn Equinox is here and the days and nights are exactly 12 hours, at least for a moment. From now until December 21^st the days will grow shorter and shorter and the nights longer and longer. Can you feel the shift in energy? I really look forward to this time of year. For me it’s a time of gathering in and putting up in preparation for the long rainy winter. There is nothing more satisfying then watching the shelves fill up with canned goods from the garden.

Have you made your pesto yet? Each year we make 20 or so pints to freeze so when we want a taste of summer all we have to do is thaw some pesto. Here’s how we make it.

Take 2 cups of basil leaves and put them in the food processor. If you want to be authentic you would use a really big mortar and pestle but oh-my-god is that a lot of work! Add 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, ¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts, ¼ cup olive oil and as much garlic as you please. We use almost a full head in every batch! I add a pinch of black pepper and a bit of salt but not too much because the parmesan is pretty salty all by itself. We also like to add a pinch of cayenne pepper because we like a little kick in our pesto. Now whizz this all up to a smooth paste and spoon it into containers to freeze. I have read recipes that tell you not to add the cheese because it doesn’t freeze well but we have never had a problem. The container size should be determined by how much your family will use at one time. We have thawed the pesto, used some then refrigerated the rest and it seems to do well for a few weeks that way, but it’s always best to use it up quickly.

Everywhere I look I see seed pods that are ripe and ready for harvesting. Marigolds, zinnia, snapdragons and cosmos are finishing up the work they have done all summer providing us with color and joy, and now they leave us with the promise of next spring. To gather your seeds choose seed pods that are big and healthy looking. Wait until mid morning after the dew has dried and pick off the pods that have turned tan or brown and are completely dry. Often they will have begun to split open. I usually store the pods and all just like that in envelopes in a cool dry place and wait to clean them until later. To clean the seeds before you store them crack the pods open and dump the seeds out onto a plate or piece of card board. I use an old cookie sheet that has a slight lip to it to winnow out the chaff and dead seed. You will be able to tell the viable seed from the bad seed just by looking. The good seed will be fat and brown or black colored. The bad seed looks thin and tan. Once you look you will notice the difference. I take my tray outside on a calm day and gently blow on the seed; the chaff and dead seed will blow away and leave you with the good seed to package up.

There is still time to plant leafy winter vegetables like kale, collards, spinach and chard. It’s also time to think about onions, garlic and leeks as well as spring blooming bulbs. The days may be getting shorter but that doesn’t mean there still isn't a lot to do in the garden. It’s a mistake I make every year. If it’s fall it must mean things are slowing down, but really it’s only energy shifting. Happy shift everyone.