Autumn Comforts

Steamy frost-topped haybales in the morning, donning my warm coat and hat for morning chores, a fire in the woodstove in the evening, splitting and stacking wood for long months ahead…all these are signs of autumn on the farm.

The summer birds have long since headed south, the squirrels are as busy as ever, and the snowshoe hares are regaining their white feet. The wild animals also know that the seasons are changing and seek comfort, whether in parts further south or in a stash of winter forage and a cozy burrow.

I’m happy to break out my scarf collection and sweaters, rustling in the drawer for warmer socks. Cooler weather is my happy space. Those hot, sticky, muggy, buggy days of summer can wait until next year. Now is a time for curling up with handmade afghans while breaking out my own woolens project using yarn from our sheep. I’m already working on making my sixth felted crochet rug and dreaming up new project designs.

Rainy autumn days means time for fuzzy slippers, sprucing up the house, and hopefully a comfy chair with a good book. Sometimes we’ll be working through a book together, and Mom will read while we quietly work on projects—a tradition we’ve kept since our homeschooling days.

Autumn is also a great time for soups and stews, hearty homemade breads and roasted root vegetables—classic comfort foods of autumn. In between the rigors of autumn lambing, Kara’s been roasting squash and pumpkins, making applesauce with Mom, and cooking up her signature lamb stew. Here’s a recipe from her so you can bring the savory flavors and fragrances of this dish to your home too!

Lamb Stew

This stew also works well with venison or beef, but we are proud of our farm’s lamb, so we encourage you to try it! You can either use already kabobbed meat or take a roast and cut it into smaller chunks.

2 lbs. lamb stew or kabob meat
1 large onion (or a few smaller ones), coarsely chopped
2 lbs. potatoes (prefer red or Yukon gold), halved or quartered
1 lb. carrots, peeled and thickly sliced.
6 cloves garlic
3 Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp butter
2 cups beef or chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Rosemary, thyme, and parsley
Dash of cumin and paprika
Cooking oil

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sear the lamb in a skillet over medium-high heat with enough oil to prevent sticking. Layer the meat, potatoes, carrots, and garlic into a lidded, oven-proof pot. Cook onions in butter in the skillet until just softened. Stir in the flour and cook an additional minute, gradually adding in the stock until smooth. Add seasonings to taste and pour over the meat and veggie mixture. Cover and cook for 2 hours or until the veggies are tender. Uncover if necessary to thicken, stirring once.

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What are some of the comforts you enjoy about autumn? A hot, steaming mug of cider? Carving pumpkins and roasting the seeds? Breaking out the wool comforter or taking a long walk amidst the colors? All these and so much more are great ways to savor the little things that make autumn special. Take time this week to enjoy your favorites. See you down on the farm sometime.