“You look like a leaf monster!” I said to my dog, who trotted in the back door.

His wiry fur was completely covered in crispy leaves. Our 40-year-old maple tree had finally dropped its leaves, and our dog rolled in them.

Our dog promptly shook his body, sending leaves flying all over our living room.

We really had to get the leaves raked before the snow began falling.

My husband and I stuffed 42 large garbage cans with leaves from our front yard, hauling seven at a time to the city’s recycling area. 

“We need to cut that tree down,” my husband groused.

“And that one, too,” he added as he picked up pods from the ground.

We were both tired. I have great appreciation for trees. They provide shade in the summer to cool us. They look beautiful in the summer and fall. Some provide fruit or maple syrup.

I decided to use the turbo leaf blower to corral the leaves in the backyard against our fence for easier loading. After loading another 28 cans of leaves, we declared the yard was good enough.

I decided to admire the golden brown, rust and purple leaves on the ground. Those are carotenoid and anthocyanin pigments hidden under the green colors. Those are the same colors that provide beauty to fruits and vegetables.

I even appealed to my husband’s love of efficiency. I didn’t want him to appear with a chain saw to begin cutting down trees.

“We have 14 barrels to go, I think. We are almost there!” I encouraged.   

Someone was vacuuming and mulching leaves on a device that looked like something out of a Dr. Seuss book. Does raking have any physical health benefits?   

Any type of physical activity is good for our health. We worked about 10 hours raking, lifting and unloading barrels of leaves into bins that weekend.

We had a combination of aerobic (or “cardio”) and muscle strengthening. Aerobic activity makes our heart beat faster and our breathing rate increase. We all need these types of exercise throughout our lives.

Health experts recommend that we get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week.

We had worked about 600 minutes in two days. I figured that was enough for a month.

Although Prairie Fare is typically a nutrition education column, physical activity goes hand in hand with a healthful diet.

Regular physical activity reduces our risk for heart disease, some types of cancer and type 2 diabetes. Strengthening our bones and muscles helps reduce our risk of falls.

 If you do not get regular physical activity, I would not suggest being a weekend warrior as we were. Start slow and work your way up. I discovered some new muscles.

Getting more physical activity can be as easy as parking a longer distance from your workplace or the grocery store.

Lack of time can be an excuse. Did I have 10 extra hours to spend raking? Not really, but I felt a major sense of accomplishment when I looked at my yard. The fresh air and sunshine on that chilly November afternoon were invigorating.

Having a companion with you during physical activity can be motivating, as each of you supports the other’s efforts. Many people join walking clubs or exercise classes to keep up their motivation. In the cold months, finding an indoor walking area or exercising along with an online show can be a good plan.

Since this happened to be my birthday weekend, we rewarded ourselves with a well-earned dinner at a restaurant. Even better: my entrée was free.

Looking out at our newly cleared yard, I had to smile. Even our former leaf monster himself seemed pleased with our hard work — but maybe a little disappointed his leafy playground was gone.

This recipe is a healthy favorite that you can prepare in a slow cooker and enjoy after a workout.

Slow Cooker Honey Granola

4 cups old-fashioned oats, uncooked
6 tablespoons honey
½ cup flax seeds
1 cup bran cereal
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries
¼ cup canola oil

Pour all ingredients into a 6-quart slow cooker and mix well. Put the cover on slightly askew and cook on low for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Let cool on parchment paper and store in an airtight container for 1 to 2 weeks. Package in individual servings in zipper-top bags for on-the-go snacks.

Makes 24 servings. Each (¼ cup) serving has 130 calories, 4 grams (g) fat, 3 g protein, 23 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber and 10 milligrams sodium.

(Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., is a North Dakota State University Extension food and nutrition specialist and professor in the Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences.)

NDSU Agriculture Communication – Nov. 26, 2025

Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, 701-231-7187, julie.garden-robinson@ndsu.edu

Editor: Dominic Erickson, 701-231-5546, dominic.erickson@ndsu.edu