Remembering the fall on a winter day!

Here on the homestead we don't like anything to go to waste, including leaves. We have a large number of trees on the property which provide an abundance of leaf litter for us.
In the fall we use this to top off the garden, mixing into our compost and, in the chicken run to keep mud levels down and provide a rich abundance of bugs and nutrients for our birds.

It's late in the fall, and the grass is still green from the mild weather and the recent rain, but its starting to get a bit muddy in the chicken yard. Seeing all the fallen maple and ash leaves, we decided to do what we could to spice up the bare soil and give the girls something to scratch in. We have already spread many of the leaves over the vegetable gardens but there is never a shortage around here. After laying out a big tarp, we raked as many leaves as we thought we could carry, and headed up the hill. This is our third trip today, and there are still a lot left on the ground to overwinter.

The girls knew they were in for a treat.

Candy is always beside us with her ball, hoping we will give her a few tosses. She will have to wait.

Getting the leaves through the gate is a tight squeeze.

There are likely some bugs and a few greens in the leaf pile...but not for long. The leaves also help to keep their feet clean.

This is one of the last of the garden pumpkins. It will be gone by tomorrow morning.

Soon the outside water bucket will be a block of ice, but for now, they still enjoy a cold drink.

After all that work, could there be a red strawberry under those leaves? Yup....The last one of the season. A little sour, but still good.