False Start! Fall (Officially) Starts Now
Matthew BeebeFall season at Rootstock has been in full swing for a few weeks, but the official start of the season—from a celestial point of view—comes this Monday, September 22: the autumnal equinox.
What is the Equinox?
The word equinox comes from the Latin for “equal night.” It marks the moment when day and night are nearly the same length everywhere on Earth — a balance that happens only twice each year, in March and September.
If Earth didn’t tilt on its axis, every day would be an equinox—the length of our days would never change, and we’d have no seasons. Instead, Earth’s axis is tilted 23.5 degrees. That tilt means that for half the year, the Northern Hemisphere leans closer to the sun and gets longer, hotter days—our summer—while the Southern Hemisphere tilts away and experiences winter. At the moment of the equinox, the sun shines directly over the equator, balancing light and dark across the globe.
How Earth’s Tilt Creates Our Seasons
Keeping Farmers on Schedule for Millennia
Farmers have always watched this moment closely. Ancient peoples tracked the shifting sunrise with monuments like Stonehenge and the pyramids of Mesoamerica. Knowing when the equinox fell helped them time planting and harvest. Over time, these seasonal markers gave rise to traditions ranging from China’s Mid-Autumn Festival to British harvest feasts that later shaped American Thanksgiving.
In biodynamic farming, pioneered in the 1920s by philosopher Rudolf Steiner, celestial rhythms play a central role. Equinoxes are seen as shifts in Earth’s light and energy, influencing the vitality of plants and the energy of the soil. Biodynamic farmers time sowing, pruning, and harvests to align with these cosmic rhythms.
Don't Blink
This year’s Fall equinox arrives at precisely 11:19 a.m. PDT on September 22, 2025. Astronomers define it as the instant the center of the sun crosses the celestial equator — a single moment, not a whole day.
For us at Rootstock, the equinox marks a turning point, but abundance continues in full force. We’re in awe of the color, flavor, and texture of the extraordinary Fall produce our partner farmers grow — and we invite you to savor it with us.
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