Fruits and vegetables are seasonal, growing to maturity at certain times. Some of these are typically harvested in autumn. In agricultural societies, a large harvest may be marked by a celebratory autumn feast, involving those foods.

In modern urban societies, fresh fruits and vegetables are sold throughout the year, or at least for a much longer "season," due to

• artificial indoor environments (greenhouses, hydroponics)

• shipping them from other climates with longer growing seasons

• cultivating hardy varieties that can withstand other climates (artificial selection, genetic modification)

But since the tradition of the harvest festival remains, some of these foods remain associated with autumn. (Similarly, flowers and some other fruits stay associated with spring festivals.)

Some academics discuss the effects of this as "alienation from nature," if you'd like to research it more.