The leaves this year have been just gorgeous! They've been hanging on the trees longer than usual, and the colors have been brilliant. Today though, they've been falling...and piling up...faster than we can get them raked.
This Maple tree is right outside our kitchen door. The leaves were so thick this morning that I could hardly rake them...
I had some company. Can you see who's hiding in this picture?
...and this one...
Banja and James loved burying themselves in the pile and then jumping out again...
Jim pulled up the manure spreader, and we filled it to the brim. Then he climbed in and stomped down the leaves so we could pile it even higher...
After a while we switched places, and I stomped on the leaves as he raked. It's the only time of year that I take a ride in the manure spreader! :)
The leaves will be spread out on the fields. I wish I could chop them all, and spread them on my garden, but there are way too many...and they'd mostly blow away. Bummer, because leaves make wonderful compost!
The cats couldn't stay away. Of course, tractors and PTO shafts are meant to be climbed on...didn't you know that?
Here's that same tree, three hours or so later. There are still a lot of leaves left for another day's raking, but so many fell already!
It's sad to see the leaves disappearing. It's inevitable, I know...but it means that winter really...and truly...is just around the corner. The boiler is already cooking away, and the cast iron radiators are throwing off the heat, trying to take the chill away.
What is fall like in your neck of the woods?
i love your helpers! :) and it really did FALL at your place! i had to turn on the heat last night, too, and had my first fire in the fireplace. too early for texas!
ReplyDeleteWonderful post!
ReplyDeleteFall is wrapping up around here, and colder temperatures are upon us. We have the furnace going, candles burning to add a warmth of smell, and a warmth of flickering light. The wood-burning stove crackles away.... and the leaves swirl in the winds.
No raking going on here... I should rake, but I'm waiting to move, or for Spring... which ever one comes first.
Warm wishes..
K.
That's a lot of leaves. What do you do with them? Our maple trees are bare and I didn't rake this year, I mulched them with my push mulching lawn mower and thy return to the soil.
ReplyDeleteIt's getting colder here too but it has been great to work outside at the farm, cleaning up . There still so much more to do and winter is right around the corner.
Hugs,
JB
The wind blows most of our leaves away. I have to clean up some around the house and under the pear trees but that's about it. And no pretty fall colors here this year, quite a disappointment.
ReplyDeleteLove your fall color and all your helpers! The leaves almost bury the chickens! No pretty color here but it is finally going to cool off a bit for the weekend with a slight chance of rain. :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! So glad that you put those fallen leaves to good use in the fields. You have a lot of cute helpers!
ReplyDeleteYour leaves are just beautiful and the kitties are always cute. You know our leaves are falling and turning just as fast, A first is years,
ReplyDeleteI love all of the leaves too. I collect them like gold and put them in my garden too.
Beautiful fall images! Love all the farm animals.
ReplyDeleteLove the kitties! It was 21F here in Central Texas last night...A little early for that big a dip in the temp.
ReplyDeletehughugs
It is sad to see the leaves go. They are piling up inside the rock beds. I leave them there for the winter. My strawberry plants don't need a blanket of straw This way. Oh yes I can see your chickens hiding. I had this myself the other day. Couldn't find my red hens for a short time. I have always used leaves for fertilizer but don't know any one else who uses them. We're on to something.
ReplyDeleteAlicia,
ReplyDeleteLooks like you have more "help" than you know what to do with! I like the chickens pecking through the leaves.
One of my Husband's Cousin is a Veterinarian and raises goats. In the fall he sets a dumpster in town for the town's people to discard their leaves. He then takes the leaves home and feeds his goats.
I like your idea of spreading them on the field.
Thank you for giving me a few moments of fall. All of our leaves were buried under the 4 feet of snow earlier this October. It was so sad not having a fall. Thank goodness for blogging where I at least got a small piece of it.
ReplyDeleteThe leaves are down here, too, but I am letting them lie and letting the goats eat them.
ReplyDeleteYes, winter will be here soon!
Oh Alica I am trying to catch up and missed this post. I love that you are riding in the manure spreader it made me laugh. A big wind blew all our leaves to the neighbours:) LOVE all your photos they make me smile and start my day off perfect. HUG B
ReplyDeleteNature's compost... it looks like a big job!
ReplyDelete