<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4OCKBr_0vsaBYXP00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4OCKBr_0vsaBYXP00" width="1200" height="630" >By the autumn equinox Sept. 22, days were growing noticeably shorter. Silent early mornings in northern fields were lubricated with heavy dew, punctuated with the call of the first Canada geese and the hoot of an occasional owl. And though the fall colors were yet to peak, sumac and many trees were quickly lighting fencerows and forests.Observers of the early-morning sky were seeing the comforting sight of the “Wintermaker” – “Orion” – overhead, with the loon or Big Dipper to the north as September drifted into October in far-northern Wisconsin. Though Jack Frost was making some noise about visiting, little frost had been seen by the beginning of October. Some were looking for visible comets and a temporary moon – asteroid PT5. The asteroid will be temporarily captured in the gravitational pull of the earth until late November. But because it’s small and dim, PT5 will not be visible without a powerful telescope.Though isolated parts of Wisconsin’s far north had hard rain and flash flooding during violent storms, most of the north was dry with only traces of precipitation during August and September. The dry and warmer-than-normal weather helped with the harvest but lack of moisture had an adverse influence on late hay crops on some fields. Many pastures were short and some stock were fed hay during late summer and early fall. For a few, fall tillage had begun by late September. About a third of corn for silage had been chopped in the north. Almost all soybeans were coloring. About half of winter wheat had been planted.Many farm markets were continuing into October. Markets, farm stands and farm stores in the north are still well-stocked with a supply of root crops, tomatoes, pumpkins, squash, gourds, garlic, onions, salad greens and peppers. Pasture-raised meat including lamb, beef, chicken and pork are available. Locally made preserves, beer, wine, mead, cider and spirits are being quaffed. Local milk, cheese and ice cream are being enjoyed. Confections like apple-cider doughnuts, pie and wine cake are tempting visitors. The apple crop in the Bayfield Fruit Loop and other northern orchards is providing a wonderful cornucopia of apples with at least a dozen varieties on hand. Aronia berries and grapes are available. Value-added products like local soap, shampoo bars and fiber are providing happy memories for visitors.<h2>People are also reading…</h2>Autumn has always been a time of celebration as harvest comes in to help us survive through the coming winter. The Bayfield Apple Fest starts Oct. 4, followed the next weekend by the WhistleStop distance run in Ashland, Wisconsin. Music festivals with local beverage tasting are scheduled in some locales. The festivals will turn to winter markets as we race through Thanksgiving, Christmas and into the new year. Visit www.bayfield.org/bayfield-apple-festival/ for Apple Fest information.Foragers are finding fewer mushrooms due to the parched condition of the forests. Many are concentrating on finding wild nuts and drying leaves for winter tea. With the frost holding off into October, many are still gathering leaves of wild raspberry, sweet fern, wintergreen, sweet gale and even stinging nettle. Nettle, an especially nutritious plant, makes a healthy tea and is also added to soups and stews. The sting of the nettles disappears with drying or boiling. Rose hips are being gathered and dried. Many are making end-of-the-garden pickles; some are drying celery, lovage and parsnips to add gusto to winter recipes. And for those with crocks of sauerkraut fermenting, time to can for winter has come.Political signs are multiplying on lawns and crossroads. Some are even finding their way high into trees; some are even placed illegally on public lands as the fervor of races overwhelms good judgement for some. It’s ironic that some of the illegally placed signs carried “law and order” messages. One wonders if as much effort and money were expended by all of us on civic endeavors between elections how many problems could be solved?As the warmth of summer lingers far into fall some seem to forget that suddenly one day a cold winter wind will blow down from the north. But in the fields and forests those of us outdoors are thankful for each day as crops come in and essential work is done.This is an original article written for Agri-View, a Lee Enterprises agricultural publication based in Madison, Wisconsin. Visit AgriView.com for more information.Jason Maloney from Washburn in northern Wisconsin lives between Lake Superior and the orchards and farms of Bayfield County. The retired soldier and educator grew up on a family farm in Marinette County.</div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

From the Fields: Jason Maloney

By the autumn equinox Sept. 22, days were growing noticeably shorter. Silent early mornings in northern fields were lubricated with heavy dew, punctuated with the call of the first Canada geese and the hoot of an occasional owl. And though the fall colors were yet to peak, sumac and many trees were quickly lighting fencerows and forests.

From the Fields: Jason Maloney

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