Golden Glow
Leaning into November
Even on an overcast day, a golden glow shelters the farm because of the numerous oak and maple trees. Several pin oaks surround our home, and I watch the tawny shade of a lion’s fur creep over their leaves. Each day, a bit more green fades until the golden leaves shimmer in the northeast breeze. Bluejays snatch the pin oak acorns and zip off to store them for the winter while a black squirrel leaps from branch to branch, carrying a clump of leaves to his nest. All day, acorns ping against our roof. The mast looks like brown gravel scattered around our dirt driveway. Old timers said a heavy crop of acorns predicted a hard winter, but a little research told a different story. During a warm, dry spring, the oak trees created more pollen that resulted in an abundance of acorns. We definitely struggled through a long drought that began during the winter and flowed through the spring, summer and early fall. But recently heavy rains have revived our pasture where the goats graze in the slanted sunshine. During the summer heat, Annie and Betsy hid from the sun inside our goat barn and only visited the pasture during the late evenings. Recently, we brought home a yearling doe, Talle, who has made friends with her older siblings.
Blueberry shipping
We continue to ship every Wednesday to zones one and two. We will start shipping to zone three next week. Please use the below link to order and you can always pick up a box at the farm.
https://pleasanthillblueberryfarm.com/
Thanksgiving
Like the past two years, we will not ship on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving because then boxes of blueberries would sit for a day in the Grand Rapids warehouse. If you need blueberries, please order them so they ship on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.
Farm scenes and owls
While the songbirds have flown south, several owls pronounce their territory as they seek a mate. One night, three Great Horned Owls called from different locations on the farm, including one perched in a pine just west our house. And after a lapse of years, I head a Bard Owl’s wavering voice call: Who cooks for you? One of my favorite memories is when my corgi, Robin Goodfellow, our two kitties, Fergi and Rory, stood on our sofa, staring out a window at a large beech tree. I joined them and looked into the intense eyes of a Bard Owl who watched my pets with the same fascination.
Have a golden November and a wonderful Thanksgiving. Joan
