The first days of fall always feel a little special at Innisfree. The garden is often making cider for us to sip on, and there are plenty of apples for pie making or just munching on as an afternoon snack. Leaves are starting to turn and the weather is unpredictable- rain boots one day, shorts the next, and almost always a sweatshirt in the evenings. Fall traditions at Innisfree have ranged from barn dances to celebrations under the “Sukkah”, sharing what events have transpired that year and what there is to look forward to.

We invite you to learn about fall celebrations from years past at Innisfree, starting with an article written by our former Vegetable garden workstation head Trisha (current co-Herb Garden workstation head!).

Celebrating as a Village by Trisha Costello

“Every year we bear witness to the birthing of new and creative ideas. The endless and varied talents, cultures, and imaginations that come and make their home at Innisfree regularly breathe new life into our daily rhythms.

While this energy keeps life sharing at Innisfree vibrant and alive, our recurring seasonal celebrations offer something equally as important; they root us to that which is constant. Every year, we come together honoring seasonal traditions.

We began a tradition for the Autumn Equinox back in the early 1990’s borrowing from the Jewish celebration of Sukkot. Each year the Vegetable Garden workers erect a temporary structure (a “sukkah”) that honors their year’s harvest. Houses join in the celebration by taking turns to stand together under the sukkot sharing their “house harvest.” People share about new friends, new activities, new ideas. Sometimes creativity flourishes--- a house may sing a song or present an offering that symbolizes their year. Beautiful collages and other collective works of art may be created and brought to the sukkot. As the colors of dusk settle around us, we share cider and apple crisp and then walk home in the waning light of fall.”

Our tradition of cider making is long-standing, and this year was no different! Here are photos from years’ past, as well as some from this current season in (somewhat) chronological order.