In the northern hemisphere, it is full swing into autumn. One of the traditional American autumnal pasttimes includes picking your own produce! What’s better than seeing where your food comes from and thanking the farmers who are helping keep our pantries filled with goodies?
In many areas along the Atlantic Seaboard, apple and pumpkin picking are at their prime! Pick some apples and bring them to lunch, or turn some into apple sauce, jar it for the winter! OH and who could resist making some apple pie? Fresh apples from your local orchard have flavors that can’t be beat from store-purchased apples shipped from all over the world, including New Zealand and Argentina. Even if those foreign apples are organic, is that worth the petroleum and chemical outputs from the life cycle that is required to get them to you? When you visit a local orchard, feel free to ask questions about sustainability and marketing, that way you know what you are getting! Who do they sell to? How were they grown?
Additionally, pick-your-own apple orchards provide a fun, safe, healthy family and friends activity! Much better than sitting on the couch and watching TV or surfing the web. Help to encourage participation in your community and activities with your loved ones, then share a tasty snack or base a meal around your harvest.
Pumpkin patches are lovely too. Many of them will be perfect for carving. Save the seeds, wash them off and roast for a tasty, nutritious treat! Sugar pie pumpkins are often smaller, but as their name exudes, perfect for old-fashioned style pies! Pumpkins can also be used for tasty and healthy savory dishes, like stews, sauces, curries, mashes and casseroles. The possibilities are endless with this beta-carotene rich food grown in your nearby pumpkin patch. Create an afternoon event around the pumpkin patch, and get outdoors.
Here’s to the glorious local harvests abounding near you! Hope you can all enjoy them! It will certainly be a lovely weekend activity that everyone you love can enjoy. Don’t forget your digital camera for the memories.
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