"O hushed October morning mild, Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow's wind, if it be wild, Should waste them all."
Robert Frost (1874-1963)

Full Moon: October’s Full Moon will occur on October 17th and is the Hunter’s Moon of 2024. Named because of the extra light the moon provided to many Native American tribes, giving them more time to hunt for. The Cree Tribe referred to as and Yellow Leaf and Falling Leaves because of the many leaves turning bright yellow (and many others, as well!) and because most trees have lost the last of their leaves during the month.

Holidays: Columbus Day is observed on Monday, October 14th, United Nations Day is celebrated on Thursday, the 24th, and Halloween falls on Thursday, October 31st.

Special Notes: October is Fire Prevention Month. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) named the second week of October Fire Prevention Week in 1922 in commemoration to the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. Today, we celebrate Fire Prevention Week and Month by educating families, students and communities across the United States raising fire safety awareness. During this month, local and regional fire departments provide education to their communities and encourage parents and loved ones to practice fire safety. Remember to have an evacuation plan ready for your family to follow, check smoke detector batteries often, and always, always respect the power of fire.

The Garden: There is still time left to plant perennial seeds and bulbs! With a little effort at Fall planting time, you will speed the timing of that first new growth by as much as a month. During the fall months, after soil temperature drops below 60EF., the bulbs of spring flowering Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinths, Siberian Squill, Dwarf Irises, Anemone, and Crocus should be planted. Most spring flowering bulbs should be in the ground by the early part of this month, except for Tulips, which can be planted up until early November. Select healthy, disease-free bulbs. Add bone meal or bulb fertilizer into the planting hole, as you prepare the soil. One last effort at weeding will help to improve the appearance of your garden throughout the winter. Any weed that you can eliminate from the garden this fall will possibly prevent thousands of weed seeds from sprouting in the garden next spring! The longer your house plants were allowed to remain outside in the fall, the more shock they will go through when they are finally moved indoors. If you haven't brought them in yet, do it now!

The Farm: Best for planting root crops (1, 2, 13 14); weeding and stirring the soil (8, 9, 10); planting above-ground crops (15, 6, 17); harvesting all crops (18, 19, 26, 27); the best days for setting hens and incubators (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 22, 2e, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31); the slaughtering and butchering of meat (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20); transplanting (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20); weening of all small animals and livestock (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31); harvesting and storing grains (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13).

J. Gruber’s Thought For Today’s Living

"A true fiend offers a helping hand without expecting thanks in return"