October We’re Exploring More Of Our Homestead

October is a great time of the year on our Tennessee homestead. The temperatures have cooled, the vegetation is thinning, and we’re exploring more of our magnificent patch of land at Healing Homestead. We found another Paw Paw patch, a rouge pumpkin patch, and a giant patch of reeds. I found caterpillars and butterflies. We also took the puppy and two barn kittens in to be neutered and spayed. Are you ready to go exploring at Healing Homestead with Farmer Katy?

Exploring Three Patches

Native Paw Paw trees produce North America’s largest tropical fruit. You likely haven’t heard of them because they are soft and hard to transport so you won’t find them in a typical grocery store. The fruit is like a cross between a mango and a banana. In the autumn, the large, leaves turn a beautiful yellow color. While we were out exploring, I had my eyes peeled for giant yellow leaves and boy was I rewarded by finding a HUGE Paw Paw Patch. I spent the next day pruning trails through the prickers.

Another surprise we got while exploring was a perfect orange pumpkin! Last fall, we fed the cows and sheep a ton of pumpkins. And this year we were rewarded with three pumpkins! Which reminds me, I better go harvest the other two after we had two nights with a hard freeze.

Jason and I found ourselves in the midst of a giant reed patch. I’m assuming they are reeds and not grasses because they are about nine or ten feet tall. If you know what they are, make sure to reply to this post! Don’t forget, I’m in growing Zone 7a.

Capturing Autumn In A Photo

I bet that I use my phone more for photos and videos than any of the other features combined because I do a daily social media post of what’s happening at Healing Homestead! Below are three photos that show me it’s autumn in Middle Tennessee. While I was planting garlic in the raised bed, I found ten Swallowtail butterfly caterpillars munching away on the parsley. Not to self: plant more parsley next season!

Speaking of butterflies, I found a Monarch butterfly eating the nectar from the flowering dog fennel. I just LOVE Monarch butterflies. When I was a child, my parents took me to Point Pelee National Park in Canada to watch the Monarch butterflies gather at the tip of the peninsula before crossing the most narrow part of Lake Erie before migrating south.

What’s a post if you don’t get to see Theodore, my pet turkey! He was looking grand parading around with the frost at his feet and the colors of the changing leaves behind him. I almost forgot, did you watch my chicken feed sprouting video? It went viral on TikTok and Instagram! Make sure you click the link at the bottom and go exploring at Healing Homestead. Follow me, Farmer Katy! I’m also on Telegram now!

Spay & Neuter Those Animals

Stormy and Mouser are both female cats. Their job is to catch mice, not to have more kittens for us to feed. I found Middle Tennessee Spay & Neuter that fixes cats and dogs for about the third of the price of our veterinarian. Copper is also old enough to get neutered. Our neighbor said if we don’t neuter him, he’ll bring home all of the lady dogs.

Stormy and Mouser loved spending the night inside after they got spayed. It’s important to keep them warm because the anesthesia lowers their body temperature. Now they think they are house cats. Anytime the door is cracked they run inside and want to go exploring.

Copper was determined to get his cone off after he was neutered. But then he learned that it made him bigger and that Vera our other dog, hated the cone more than he did. Copper used his cone as a bulldozer pushing at Vera and anything that may be in his path. Each day the clear plastic dwindled and was replaced with more and more black tape.