Like much of 2020, Halloween, Trick or Treating has been either cancelled or altered. I've seen so many creative mamas and grandmas come up with alternate ways to celebrate in 2020 and I'm sure Halloween will be no different. Oh, I remember the good ol' days when I would run between houses in our neighborhood and beyond, for hours with my friends. The paper grocery bag heaping with candy, spilling it out on the floor and my dad picking all the things he loved. "You don't like these, right?" He was almost as excited as I was to see the loot of candy.
My week has been full of tricks and treats. Tricks: doctor, dentist appointments, family doing Covid testing, "up" from days of unbridled eating, working outside and it's too cold, fingers and toes froze. Treats: great response to my LIVE sale, custmers pick up items, had time to work on old book work (monkey on my back), met with 2 clients, picked up some cool items, consigned some cool items, processed near 400 apples (treat in winter).
In spring, I cut back some old messy vines of bittersweet. They hadn't produced berries for years (trick). However, I found these today (treat).
What have been the tricks and treats of your week?
A major treat for us, was our apple trees this year, wow - thank you honey bees and trees. I try to do a 5 gal pail or 2 a day. We've dehydrated, cut up rolled in spices for pies, cut up with peelings still on for sauce (no sugar, just apples) and put in gallon size bags in the freezer. I've shared pails as well. Nothing goes to waste here at the farm, the peelings and cores are shared with the rabbits, chickens and pigs when we have them. I love that kind of thing, from seed to compost. Probably why we homestead and I love my farm life. Nothing compares to delight (well, come on now....wink, wink) me...than this processs.
It's really simple to do and you'll enjoy it in the middle of winter.
The dehydrator was working for days....
Isn't that pretty! I love using these antique jars for my pantry items. It makes me want to cook, just to look at them. That represents about 100 apples.
Today, on Farmhouse Friday, I will be doing more apples while listening to a podcast. I've been listening to:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/homemaker-chic/id1499566932
These two are a hoot. I also follow their youtube channels: Angela lives in Door County and I actually took a cooking class she taught.
https://www.youtube.com/c/ParisienneFarmgirl/videos
Shaye lives in Washington State
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgUsMN5zOxCIU1L6MFNnh6w
If you are looking for some homesteading, gardening, wine tasting, farm girl chic inspiration, these two have it.
Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.
I admire your efforts...and dedication... Homemade applesauce still has my vote...although the past month or so, my sweet treat at the end of the day has been Honeycrisp apple slices with caramel (shhh...don't tell....hope the broom doesn't notice tomorrow LOL). Curious as to what you do with the dehydrated ones??? Just for snacking??? Or do you reconstitute for other uses??? I just have never gotten into the dehydrated foods.... I know I should, but.... The shot of the bittersweet is beautiful....Mine had a good year this year for some reason. The leaves are gone now, but there are still many blooms I did not cut....and I cut a good many to decorate with and even shared a few. Wishing you many happy haunts...few tricks, and lots of treats! ~Robin~
ReplyDeleteI add them to my oatmeal, eat them as healthy snack and I plan to add to some granola. I never made this much before, our apple year was amazing. I've also been juicing them, a glass at a time with veggies. So good!
DeleteWe had a young family come in and let their 2 children each pick out $15 worth of candy as they wold not be trick or treating tonight. So sad. Hope this covid soon goes away. Happy Halloween! Janice
ReplyDeleteThat was a fun treat for them. I do too! We don't usually get any trick or treaters - we are too rural, but I always have "something" for them anyway.
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