NOVEMBER

Subscriber First Name, welcome to the Art of Harvest, where we will journey together to slow down and nourish the soul, soil, and senses.

In a world that often moves too quickly, this newsletter is intended to be a place for pause—a monthly invitation to mindfully connect with the rhythms of creativity, nature, and kitchen.

STUDIO

— for the soul

A Quiet Dream Realized: Sharing the Slow Work

The past month I had my paintings displayed alongside many talented local artists from the Cowichan Valley in the Teeny Tiny Art show. It has been quiet little dream of mine to produce a collection of oil paintings to put into the show, and while putting myself out there felt both exciting and a little terrifying, I am proud of each and every one of the paintings I worked on earlier this year. I just picked up the remaining pieces last week, and they are now available for those who might want to bring one into their home or give as a meaningful gift.

Limited Edition Giclée Art Prints

I’m also delighted to share that I will be releasing my first collection of limited edition giclée art prints of a couple of my most loved pieces. I’m creating a very small, intimate run—just five prints of each—so that each one feels as personal and soulful as the original. They’ll be ready in the coming weeks, and I can’t wait to share them with you here first.

GARDEN

— for the soil

After many months of rapid growth and reaping the garden’s steady harvest, and the season is turning towards deep rest. The leaves have mostly taken their descent and the ground is now covered in its warm blanket. Over my years of gardening, I have come to appreciate and even relish November; where I would typically dread these colder, darker months, I now embrace as a shared necessity. Just as the soil tucks itself in for winter, so too can we. This pause, this slowing down, is profoundly nourishing for both the earth and the soul. These seasons are what makes this cycle of growing sustainable. While the pace of gardening tasks ease this month (which thankfully gives me time to finally share this newsletter with you!), the work we do now is vital for the coming year. Here are a few things to do in November:

• plant garlic cloves (if you have not already done so at the end of October) - it still isn’t too late!

• mulch your garden beds with leaves (helps protect the soil from rain leaching nutrients and feeds the beneficial microbiome)

• dig up potatoes & sweet potatoes before hard frost

• mulch around root vegetables (e.g., carrots, beets, parsnips) that you’d like to keep in ground over winter

• harvest any tender veggies as temperatures will be dipping beginning of next week (e.g., lettuce, peas, basil, etc.)

• dig up dahlia tubers (clean, separate, store in pine shavings, and label)

• rake out leaves under rhododendrons & azaleas (dang root weevils!)

** Note: Where I live, my hardiness zone is 8a - so quite mild. If you live in a lower zone (Okanagan: 6-7; Southern Alberta 4), these tasks you may have already been done a few weeks ago! But there is still time to mulch those beds, if you still have some leaf piles around.

KITCHEN

— for the senses

To highlight the beautiful vegetable that is still standing strong in the Fall garden: the leek. Leek is the mellow, sweeter cousin of the onion that when simmered down, melts into a soft and velvety texture and brings out a deep, sophisticated sweetness to any dish.

CREAMY LEEK & LEMON BRAISED CHICKEN

This is one of my favourite comforting meals that we get to cozy up with around the table after a day of raking leaves and working outside. Alongside the support of other garden staples, garlic and thyme, I use my trusty cast iron to create a creamy aromatic sauce that pairs beautifully with chicken (or lentils, for a hearty vegetarian swap!). This allows me to sear the chicken on the stovetop and finish it slowly in the oven. This versatile dish goes well served over creamy mashed potatoes or nutty wild rice, offering a satisfying meal that is gluten-free (GF), and can easily be made dairy free (DF), vegetarian (V), or vegan (VG).

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp butter or olive oil (DF/V/VG option)

• 4 chicken thighs or legs with back bone (bone-in)* or 1 cup of lentils** (V/VG option)

• 1/2 onion, diced

• 2 leeks, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 4-5 sprigs of thyme

• 1 1/2 cups of chicken or vegetable stock (V, VG option) (add an extra cup if adding lentils)

• 1/2 cup of cream, whole milk, or coconut milk (DF option)

• 1 lemon (zest and juice)

• salt & pepper to taste

SEASONAL REFLECTIONS

Just as the garden needs this time to rest and nourish itself for the year ahead, so do we. The world around us seems to prize constant output and production, but the natural cycle of the seasons shows us that this simply isn't sustainable. We must honour the balance: there are seasons for producing and necessary seasons for deep replenishment.

November offers a beautiful lesson: we, too, can tuck under some cozy blankets, reflect, nourish our bodies, and allow the creative energy to slowly recharge for the coming spring. Sustainability isn’t just about what we buy; it's profoundly about how we live. It’s not always about doing less, but about bringing intentionality and mindfulness to what we already do.

My gentle invitation to you this month: How can you honour this season's rhythm of rest to make your own pace more sustainable? What small intentional actions help ground you and feed your soul?

Warmly,

Rachael

(P.S. If you know someone who might enjoy learning how to create, grow, and eat with the seasons, please feel free to forward this email!)