August is just about over… and the days are getting shorter. For generations, cultures relied on the stars to help predict weather and the seasons. They found the rotation around the sun is constant and observable. From that observation, Astrology was developed and also where solstices and equinoxes represent the longest and shortest days of the year, and then the halfway points where day and night are equal. Similarly, meteorological seasons coincide more with seasonal temperature changes. The warmest months are summer, including June, July, and August. They are giving way to cooler months of September, October, and November before the coldest months of winter.
The feeling of fall can be felt when you walk around the farmers’ market and see all the freshly picked veggies that are ready to come home with you. With the first chill of autumn, farmers begin to harvest their crops and prepare for winter. In addition to cleaning up after a bountiful summer growing season, they must also store food in case the farm becomes inaccessible during harsh weather conditions or an early freeze that kills off vegetation before it can be harvested.
The fall harvest marked a time when families would gather together to pick and preserve the fruits of their labors. As temperatures cooled, they needed to get what they could before damaged or lost too much flavor due to rotting, so this required long days packed with manual labor.The need for this labor is why the school season begins in the fall instead of being year-round. While most of us aren’t tilling to the land and harvesting crops, these traditions continue today.
Like the other seasons in many cultures, the fall has been marked by rites and festivals that revolve around food production.
Today, many of us use this passage of time and transition to fall as an opportunity to come together with our families and celebrate before temperatures cool. Some may travel for the Labor Day holiday, while others mark their calendars for the State Fair.
Despite how you and your family choose to celebrate this transition into fall, it is important not to forget that COVID is on the rise again in the US. With so many large gatherings happening during various holidays, remember to take necessary precautions if you plan on attending any of these events.