These last weeks were for harvesting.
Apples, raspberries, brambles, pears, plums, figs, chestnuts…
Plucking these fruits right from the tree or as they fell on the earth felt like collecting gold. I felt so rich receiving all these fruits straight from the trees that are in our garden. There is something special about harvesting from your own (or wild) trees near you.
Some fruits were shared with worms and other insects, I felt somehow their presence in some apples for example pointed us to the tastiest ones among all of them.
Together with harvesting a ton of fruits comes the question of what to do with them now. Baking one apple pie is fine but then there are 100 apples more to process.
Next to making jam and puree, I remembered my grandma's old dehydrator that we kept somewhere in the basement. I took it out and started the process of making dried apples and figs.
This simple and fulfilling process of the harvest and conservation of fruits made me think a lot about my grandparents and ancestors who not so long time ago did these same things every autumn to prepare for winter. It made me feel connected to the mice and squirrels and other little and bigger animals outside that share the same harvest and also take their part in it to prepare for winter.
It feels good to be an active part of the cycle of nature, and experience the richness in all that nature gives and all that is sustained and nourished from it.
Next on the harvest list are walnuts and quince now.