Fall is a busy time on the acreage, but you can still celebrate the season with quick changes to your outdoor decor.

Here are some simple tips to add warmth and style to your farm for the autumn months.

Use Wagon Wheels as a Backdrop

Wagon wheels come in a variety of sizes and fit the rustic farmhouse aesthetic perfectly, making them a strong focal point for an outdoor display. If you own a family farm, you may be lucky enough to have a few of these antique treasures lying around. If not, they’re often available at hardware or supply stores.

To make a simple vignette, lay down a large piece of burlap or an old picnic blanket as your base. Place a straw bale or two at the edge of the fabric as your backdrop, then lean the wagon wheels up against the straw bales.

The wheels may stay put if they’re heavy, but it’s best to secure them with zip ties or rope. Kids, pets or farm animals may decide to wander over and investigate your display, and they may pose a safety hazard if jostled.

After you build your little set-up, it’s time to decorate!

Here are some ideas:

• Solar lights. You can use solar lights on stakes to highlight your fall decor, or string lights to wrap around your wagon wheel and drape over hay bales. A combination of the two is a striking way to make your scene pop once the sun goes down.
• Baskets of produce. Nothing says fall like a bushel basket of pumpkins, apples and various gourds from your garden. Just remember that using produce for decor is the equivalent of making a picnic for the wildlife. You may want to put straw or fallen leaves in the bottom of your bushel baskets as a filler and just a single layer of fresh produce on top to save your hard-earned bounty.
• Pots of chrysanthemums and marigolds. These hearty flowers will last through much of the chilly fall weather, adding a variety of colors to your display.

Did you know mums are actually perennial plants? We leave them in pots because they are often mistaken for annuals, but they may return year after year if you allow them to establish their roots. Try planting them in the ground and designing your border around them every year.

These decorative displays look great by your barn, in the front yard or even next to your roadside produce stand to attract visitors.

Cozy up Your Outdoor Living Spaces

Use thick fabrics and soft lighting to add warmth to your patios, gazebos and covered porches. Some suggestions:

• Tie outdoor cushions to your patio furniture. Adding cushions to your patio and Adirondack chairs instantly softens your space. You can use a variety of fall colors. Opt for a solid color for the cushions and add throw pillows in warm autumn hues for contrast.
• Add a cushy outdoor area rug. Hearty plaids or leaf patterns look great for fall.
• Hide a blanket bin. Blankets are essential to have on hand once the sun goes down, but they will quickly get damp outside. Stash the blankets in a waterproof tote and throw a fall tablecloth over the lid to turn it into a small table for drinks.
• Place a large table charger made of natural fibers on the patio table. Rattan, jute or sisal ropes have the perfect earth tones for a fall color scheme. You can even customize the size by making it yourself! Simply coil the rope in a circle and affix it with hot glue.

Looking to give your centerpiece a little extra sparkle? Fill a clear bowl with water, add a few floating tealights and set it in the center of the charger. And while we’re talking candles …

• Flameless candle pillars give you the perfect fall ambiance with the push of a button. You may already have hung fairy lights in your outdoor spaces for summer, but flickering candlelight just feels right when the weather gets colder. Opt for LED flameless candles with a remote to make it easy.

Decorate Your Outdoor Space

You can use your garden to brighten up your fence line by gathering large bundles of sunflowers, corn stalks and decorative grasses and tying them to fence posts. Affix the bundles to every other post, then place pumpkins on the ones in between.

To add even more rustic charm, lean a large black chalkboard on the fence in front of your home and use waterproof chalk pens to write a message, such as “Happy Fall Y’all,” “Welcome” or even just your last name or the name of your farm.

Make Scarecrow Doppelgangers of Your Family

Building scarecrows is easy — just grab old clothes, some straw and your gang and head outside for some outdoor creativity in the fresh air. You can stuff the clothes with straw and tie them off with some twine, then stuff a burlap sack for the head.

Since it’s October, it should be easy to find wigs for your display at any good will or Halloween store. You can place the scarecrows in lawn chairs or lean them against straw bales with a few pumpkins and potted flowers and voila: a cute replica of the whole family.

Fall only comes once a year, so make the most of the season by bringing its warmth and color to every corner of your acreage. With a few simple touches — from wagon wheel backdrops to cozy outdoor spaces — you can create an inviting atmosphere that celebrates the beauty of autumn.