The Autumn Meadow is rich in browns and greens, and October light a particular light in the late afternoon. The new “posted” signs are up, our neighbors do not seem to want hunting on their property this year. There are lots of wonderful hunters, ethical and responsible, there are some awfully irresponsible and dangerous hunters – many from New Jersey, it seems – who shoot too often and too poorly, who leave wounded deer lying in the road, who skin them and leave body parts lying around fields, who bring machine guns and hunt dishonestly.

The hunters who hunt on our farm – we have 17 acres behind the farmhouse are very welcome. The good ones keep an eye on the bad ones – nobody is tougher on a bad hunter than a good one – and I am happy to have them on our property. They are ethical, honest and extremely responsible. There is much worry about dogs in hunting season – just a couple of weeks away – and I already see dogs sprouting orange vests. We don’t use them, we do stay out of the woods and keep to the dirt roads.