A flurry of activity ensued around the end of September, as we once again turned the cabin into a conference center. The living room became a dining hall and lecture room, and the whole house got a good cleaning. Pumpkins and gourds dotted the corners of the yard and an outdoor kitchen materialized.

Winter squash comes in a wide variety of shapes and colors. They ripen and are harvested about the time the summer squash peters out.  With their hard shells, creamy texture and sweet flavor, winter squash are as different from summer squash as…. Winter is from summer.

Solar powered electricity has come to Red Boiling Springs. A roof full of panels sit on an old brick building on Hwy 56, about half-way between the stop sign and downtown. I am partnering with Tri-County to generate clean energy.

As fall approaches on the farm, we gather in the pumpkins. I’ve experimented with many varieties, and settled on this one. It’s called the Old Time Tennessee Pumpkin. A local family gave me a start many years ago, and when it’s fed to livestock they call it the Cow Pumpkin or Hog Pumpkin.

Sweet basil fills up a long row in the garden. I eat it with tomatoes, but until a few years ago that’s all I ever used it for. Now, thanks to my Italian friends, I know what to make with it- pesto.