Now that we have entered fall, I am making fall candles, and Halloween candles, as well as my signature moisturizing lip balms in Pumpkin Spice or Apples and Maple Bourbon. I love the rich and sweet scents, and as always, I use only soy wax, and phthalate free fragrances, as well as natural waxes and oils that are not petroleum based.
Fall seems to be coming later this year with the leaves changing in Michigan. It is still very much green in many spots, although today is officially the beginning of a long stretch of super cool days. I started my day off making a weekly batch of homemade yogurt. This will be perfect for apple butter smoothies, which are so delicious! I had made a large batch of apple butter a few weeks ago, and decided to freeze it rather than seal it and store it at room temperature. I did this with all my jams, butters, and sauces this year. I made a little list of eco-friendly things you can do this fall if you live in a 4 season area like I do:
1. Don't rake and bag up your leaves. Instead, mow them into your lawn, and let them cover your garden beds until spring. This is natural mulch, this is how forests feed themselves. This is protection for wildlife and bugs to overwinter and make nests. Use some in your compost bin (unless its black walnut, do not use certain leaves in a compost)
2. Plant milkweed seeds, echinacea, and other native seeds that need cold stratification to germinate in spring. Bulb plants also need to be planted this time of year, such as garlic, onions, tulips, and other spring bulb flowers. I am staying away from non-native flowers.
3. Plant some trees in planters - acorns are abundant! do a float test. If they sink, they are good to plant. Gather a few, plant an inch deep, and when they are about a year or two old, donate them, or plant them on your property if you have a large enough property (Keep in mind the distance from your home to prevent any foundation issues) Keep squirrels away by putting a plate over top, or brick. The acorn needs cold stratification.
4. Make slowcooker apple butter, pumpkin butter, plum butter, and jar it!
5. Make homemade soups and jar them, and freeze them for later. Tomato, Butternut, Pumpkin, you name it!
6. Gather black walnuts and acorns and put in buckets for the squirrels - I am also donating to a pig farm that our local council person discovered. You can also donate these to farmers as food.
7. Donate pumpkins to your local zoo or wildlife rescue. I also hang pumpkins from the tree for squirrels to eat.
8. Put rice or lentils in long socks and tie at one end, then place this in front of any drafty door.
9. Switch out your closet, and donate clothes to ThredUP, or sell on Poshmark. Only buy used clothes, and don't buy fast fashion.
10. Commit to change more items in your home to plastic free this season. Little by little, you can do it!
Let me know if you also have any eco-friendly tips to share!
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