Roots and Rest

The change of seasons always brings a shift in work. Summer crops are fading, the tomatoes softening and the beans are slowing, but the soil isn’t done with us yet. Fall crops—radishes, kale, lettuce—are pushing up fresh life even as the plants around them begin to turn.

That’s the beauty of the gardening rhythm: endings and beginnings overlap. One bed gets cleared, another gets planted. The pantry fills with jars, while the garden still gives from its roots. This in-between time reminds me that growth doesn’t stop just because the air cools. It simply takes a different form.

Radishes in the Clover

Did anyone else feel the change this week?
That crisp edge in the morning air means fall has arrived, whether the calendar says so or not.

Out in the garden, the first of our radishes are sprouting, tucked neatly into the clover—a living mulch that helps hold the soil.

I love radishes because they’re quick and honest. They don’t waste time. From seed to harvest, you’re eating in less than a month.

That kind of speed is rare in gardening, and it’s a good reminder that some of life’s rewards really do come quickly if you’re willing to put in the work.

We’ve got them sprinkled in patches across the bed, filling in space where summer crops wrapped up. If you’ve never grown them, it’s a simple joy worth trying.

Turn Your Peppers into Provisions

If your peppers are piling up, don’t let them sit too long. They’re perfect for a fermented hot sauce that’ll brighten your meals all winter.

The variety does matter: thin-walled peppers like cayenne, Thai, or jalapeño ferment more quickly and bring stronger flavor, while thick-walled bell peppers make for a milder, sweeter sauce.

Either way, it’s as simple as chopping peppers, adding garlic and salt water, and letting time do the work.

And if hot sauce isn’t your thing, I’ve also shared a classic dill pickle recipe. Because no pantry feels complete without a jar of homemade pickles. Full step-by-step here:

Apple Cider Donuts

When the mornings turn crisp, nothing tastes more like fall than a warm apple cider donut. Bake them at home, and your whole house will smell like the season.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup apple cider

• 2 cups flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp nutmeg

• ½ tsp salt

• 2 eggs

• ½ cup sugar

• ½ cup brown sugar

• ½ cup butter, melted

• ½ cup buttermilk (or milk + splash of vinegar)

Steps:

1. Simmer cider until reduced to about ¼ cup; cool.

2. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in another.

3. Combine wet + dry, then stir in the cider reduction.

4. Bake in greased donut pan at 350°F for 12–14 minutes.

5. Toss warm donuts in cinnamon sugar if you like extra sweetness.

Bake a batch this week. You’ll taste fall in every bite.

Closing Tip

Don’t neglect succession planting. Quick crops like radishes, spinach, and lettuce can still give you fresh harvests before frost if you sow them now.

The Grounded Homestead