Welcome back and happy autumn equinox, nature lovers.
Here’s what we’re up to today:
A rare, regional treat: It’s pawpaw season.
The fall must go on: South Jersey farmers get creative to stay afloat in the face of a shrunken apple-picking season.
Your outdoorsy experience: An adventure at a quiet oasis in Abington Township.
☀️ Your weekend weather outlook: Friday will be partly sunny, then showers are expected to douse the region thanks to an early-season nor’easter. Flood warnings are in effect for the Shore.
— Paola Pérez (outdoorsy@inquirer.com)
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September ushers in pawpaw season, but it won’t last for long. It’s delicate and highly perishable, so now is the time to act.
🥭 The pawpaw is North America’s largest edible native fruit. It’s tropical-like in flavor, combining hints of papaya, mango, banana, and pineapple. My colleague Jenn Ladd said: “It tastes like a cross between a mango and a banana.”
🧺 You can forage them around the region, but you may also get lucky at a local co-op or farmers market.
😋 You can eat one straight, or use it as an ingredient. Think ice cream, jam, or pudding. No recipe needed. Just keep in mind that its shelf life is short.
Keep reading to learn more about the unique sweetness of pawpaws, and send in tips about where you have found and enjoyed the rare fruit.
News worth knowing
The astronomical fall began on Tuesday at 8:04 p.m. Philadelphia time. Resident weather expert Tony Wood explores what nature might offer and a peek at the coming winter.
A study says ospreys, raptor icons of Jersey Shore waterways, are in peril.
New Jersey joined a coalition of states suing the Trump administration over its attempts to cancel two big offshore wind leases and pay the companies $1.4 billion to develop fossil fuel projects instead.
A new downtown Narberth store is is set to bring fresh flowers, curated goods, and craft activities to the area.
🌳 Your outdoorsy experience
My colleague Lisa Dukart, Inquirer Local newsletter writer, wants to take us to a lovely green space that’s well worth checking out:
While it’s not a month that first comes to mind for visiting a garden, late September is an unexpectedly wonderful time to do so. Native flowers are still in bloom, the air’s a touch cooler, and the leaves are getting the first hints of autumn color. While I was prepared for a small dose of beauty, what I found on a recent visit to PHS Meadowbrook Farm was much more magical than I expected.
This quiet, 21-acre oasis in Abington Township unfolded slowly thanks to its intentional design, giving me space to savor each moment as I meandered the grounds of the stately 1936 home once owned by the Pennock family.
The beauty begins at the entryway, where the stone facade is surrounded by an array of plants and flowers in a rainbow of colors. Beyond the house, almost seemingly tucked away, are a jewel box of garden rooms — some featuring colorful pollinator flowers or herbs, others showy blooms like roses and dahlias, while others are grounded in architectural details like a fountain or pool. Whichever direction you step, each room feels like a well-kept secret meant to be taken in slowly.
PHS Meadowbrook Farm is open Wednesdays to Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Oct. 17.
Looks and sounds utterly gorgeous. Thank you, Lisa.
What about you, dear reader? Got any favorite spots or special outdoor memories to share? Email me here (with pictures, if you have them). You may see your story featured here.
🎤 Let me pass the mic to Inquirer reporter Sarah Nicell.
For many, a quintessential South Jersey fall includes apple picking, a warm cider, and sugared doughnuts.
But fall in the Garden State might look a little different this year after a spring freeze left farms across the region with damaged apple varieties and huge crop losses — at least $300 million worth, Gov. Mikie Sherrill said in May.
With pumpkin spice and Halloween decorations already signaling fall’s arrival, farmers and produce sellers are trying their best to get by with fewer apples, or none at all. — Sarah Nicell
Read on to learn how these farmers are getting creative under these difficult circumstances.
Paola’s picks
💭 A quote: “In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.”
🎃 A delightful portrait: A record-breaking pumpkin mosaic of Sir David Attenborough.
🍅 A wicked find: Late-summer tomatoes at a Philly cemetery.
🧠 A fascinating read: What a fruit fly can — and can’t — do with its 166,000 neurons.
🏖️ A final score: The Inquirer’s Amy Rosenberg made 10 Shore predictions for 2026. Here’s how she did.
Their Merion Station yard didn’t have much life. Now it’s filled with flowers. See all the colorful blooms and vegetation that adorn their Tudor-style home.
👋🏽 Our next adventure awaits.
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