When the Goldenrod Turns to Gold

As the fields fade to gold with the last of the goldenrod, the homestead slows enough to start studying the past season and gather the wisdom granted.

Author

The Grounded Homestead
October 14, 2025

Weekly roundup

Goldenrod makes a great late season fed source for bees before they overwinter

Learning in the Lull

When the beds are quiet, renewing in cover crops, and the nights stretch long, I find my best lessons in observation and reflection.

The goldenrod hums with pollinators storing up for the winter, and it reminds me that every season ends with purpose.

The soil rests, but I’m still learning. Each success, each mistake becomes a teacher for next year’s adventure.

The Secret Behind Our Best Daikons Yet

Daikon radish, harvested young so my baby tastebuds can handle the heat

This year’s Crisp Daikon radishes turned out better than any we’ve grown before—clean, straight roots with a much milder flavor that’s easy to love.

The difference came down to something simple: rotation and timing. We shifted them into a new bed that hadn’t seen root crops before. And…

Fall soil stays cooler and pest pressure drops, especially from root maggots, so the plants had room to develop without stress.

organic gardening works best with proper planning

The fall radishes turned out great—but it got me thinking ahead. What pests should I be ready for when spring rolls around?

I pulled together the answers in this post:

When the Pumpkins Don’t Set Fruit

Did your pumpkins produce as many as you hoped this year?

Ours put on plenty of vines, until the squash vine borers came we did manage a few good fruits—but I know it could’ve been better. Looking back, I wish I’d known just how much hand pollination can boost your odds when bees are scarce or weather impedes pollination.

You can also pluck the male flower, remove the petals and directly transfer the pollen from the male’s anther to the female flowers stigma

It’s one of those lessons that shows up after the season ends: sometimes all the flowers in the world don’t mean much without a little help. Next year, I’ll be ready with a brush and a steady hand.

Pollination is just one clue, though. Check out these other reasons I learned your pumpkins might set fruit—and what you can do about it:

Project in the Works

Homemade Jerky the Right Way

I’ve got a project lined up for this winter—homemade venison jerky. Store-bought jerky might seem convenient, but look closer and it’s loaded with corn syrup, artificial smoke flavor, dyes, and preservatives. It’s a far cry from real food. Around here, I’d rather have something simple, clean, and honest—just good meat, a little salt, and flavor from the land.

I’ve been sketching out a few changes for next spring: maybe even trying a slower-growing breed.

That’s where the Maple & Pepper Northern Jerky recipe comes in. It’s built around pure maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, cracked black pepper, and a touch of red pepper flakes for heat. No fake smoke, no chemicals—just slow drying until it’s leathery and firm.

I walk through the process and the safety basics for keeping meat shelf-stable in this post:

Closing Tip

Before winter fully settles in, start considering your garden plan. The best gardens start months before the first seed hits the soil.

This quiet stretch is the next’s seasons success begins.

  • The Grounded Homestead