| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Red Tractor Girl |
Posted - Aug 20 2017 : 11:36:23 AM
Hey Farmgirls~ Today is August 20th and I wanted to remind everyone that come September 1, we still start celebrating our Third Annual Farmgirl Apple Festival!! For those of you who are new here to our Chatroom community, we started this tradition in 2014 to kick off and celebrate Fall.
I will be sponsoring an Apple Swap so please sigh up if you are interested.
I will be sponsoring an Apple theme Give Away so please sign up for that as well if you are interested.
Don't forget, we have an Apple Badge that you can work on this next month as well. It includes lots of fun activities to get you learning and enjoying this beloved and favorite fruit.
The past two years, we have been sharing information about lots of varieties of apples from our various regions of the US and Canada. We also share lots of yummy recipes, tidbits and photos of our areas and families. The fun part of learning more about apples is that you learn more about our American history. Apples that could be eaten, cooked and preserved came from Europe by early settlers and and fur traders. The only original apples here in America were astringent crab apples that even the Indians could not find useful.
The real origin of apples comes from the Tian Shan mountains of Kazakhstan in the temperate western foothills. The Silk Road that went from Rome to Xi'an in China , was the route traveled for trading purposes to acquire things like spices. Apples were discovered by both the horses and the traders making the journey and were brought back to Rome where they became very popular. The Romans then spread them to Europe where they flourished as well.
Apples don't really grow well from seeds. To create trees of eatible apples, they must be grafted. In the early 1700s, the American colonists learned this skill and began to establish nurseries of grafted trees. The Apple Revolution began and soon people were all planting apple trees on their farms as a basic food source to make cider and fruit that could be eaten, cooked, preserved and stored for long winter months.
Thomas Jefferson planted large groves of apple trees at Monticello and concentrated on both eating and cider making varieties. The Newtown Pippin was one of the most popular variety from his orchards.
The legendary Johnny Appleseed, was really a man by the name of John Chapman who was an itinerant minister. He preached to small crowds as well as set up seedling nurseries throughout the Ohio Valley and the Midwest from the 1790s-1830s. Apples were a way of life!!
There is so much more about apples so please share here what you know and have experienced.
One more important note: Sunday September 24 will be our traditional Apple Pie Sunday Celebration!! Mark your calendars and think about what sort of apple pie recipe you would like to make this year. Be sure to share with us your ideas and tried and true apple pie favorites!
Winnie #3109
Red Tractor Girl
Farm Sister of the Year 2014-2015 |
| 19 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Red Tractor Girl |
Posted - Sep 08 2017 : 07:06:14 AM
I hope your apples turned out to be delicious!! It is the season now to be able to get those early varieties which are always such a treat after months of apples that have been in cold storage.
Winnie #3109
Red Tractor Girl
Farm Sister of the Year 2014-2015 |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Sep 07 2017 : 4:13:42 PM
Winnie, I bought some apples today from the store and I made sure they smelled delicious before I bought them! I'm excited to eat my first one. Thanks for the tip!
Krista |
| Red Tractor Girl |
Posted - Sep 06 2017 : 12:48:15 PM
Wow, Michele, I would love to taste your homemade apple cider. It sounds like a perfect weekend project with cool weather and delicious apples. You have to let us know how it turns out this year when you make your batch!
Winnie #3109
Red Tractor Girl
Farm Sister of the Year 2014-2015 |
| windypines |
Posted - Aug 28 2017 : 6:00:32 PM
we bought an apple press two years ago. I am holding out to use our sweet apples for fresh cider. Sour apples you have to add sweetener, but the sweet is perfect right out the press. I have a honey crisp tree that makes wonderful cider. I did pick apples off of an early ripening tree over the weekend. Have one bucket left. i did make sauce and fritters, and gave away 4 bags of apples. Of course the cows love the ones i throw over the fence.
Farming in WI
Michele |
| nnfolkways |
Posted - Aug 28 2017 : 2:38:28 PM
Sounds like fun!
How cunningly nature hides every wrinkle of her inconceivable antiquity under roses and violets and morning dew.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson |
| Red Tractor Girl |
Posted - Aug 28 2017 : 10:18:50 AM
Oh my Heather!!! Cool weather AND fresh pressed cider!!! How absolutely fantastic for your vet to share such a perfect fall treat. I would love to find a message like that on my phone. However, since apples don't grow in Florida, I am thinking it is pretty unlikely, don't you agree??LOL!! Enjoy a mug full warmed up for the cool mornings for me!
Winnie #3109
Red Tractor Girl
Farm Sister of the Year 2014-2015 |
| suny58 |
Posted - Aug 28 2017 : 09:32:35 AM
Wow ..I learn something new all the time! Thank you Winnie for the info. I love love apples and drink a full glass of organic apple juice everyday as well as an apple a day! My dad's are apple dumplings and apple chutney! I just might like to join in on this celebration!
Farmgirl #7703
Dianna
"Blessed are they that see beautiful things in humble places, where other people see nothing." Pissarro |
| nndairy |
Posted - Aug 28 2017 : 09:00:57 AM
My vet has golden delicious apple trees in his yard. Saturday he called and left us a message while we were milking the cows that he pressed his first batch of cider. I bought 3 gallons. It's so yummy! And we've had some cooler temps this past week. I'm ready for fall - and apple pie :)
~Heather
Farmgirl Sister #4701
September 2014 Farmgirl of the Month
http://nndairy.blogspot.com/
"The purpose of life is to enjoy every moment" - Yogi teabag
|
| Bonnie Ellis |
Posted - Aug 24 2017 : 7:19:17 PM
Sounds wonderful! I am going to try it.
grandmother and orphan farmgirl |
| AuntJamelle |
Posted - Aug 24 2017 : 05:41:13 AM
I've either added it to pie shell and topped with another shell or even a Dutch crumble type topping or I just make apple cobbler with it, using desired topping type. Works great either way! If you wanted a side dish of cinnamon apples like they serve at some restaurants, this would work great for that too! |
| Red Tractor Girl |
Posted - Aug 23 2017 : 11:16:31 AM
Thank-you Jamie for this recipe. It looks easy and delicious! Do you the just add this to your pie shells and bake? Or do you use this as a side dish
Winnie #3109
Red Tractor Girl
Farm Sister of the Year 2014-2015 |
| AuntJamelle |
Posted - Aug 23 2017 : 10:39:42 AM
I'm TOTALLY in for Apple Pie Sunday! :)
I will have to decide which one to try! As far as a tried and true recipe goes, this one for a yummy filling is awesome! I've made it so many times!
Stovetop Apple Pie Filling
Ingredients
4 medium apples
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
Instructions
Peel, core and slice apples.
Melt butter and cinnamon over medium heat. Stir in apples, sugar & 3 tablespoons water.
Cover and cook stirring occasionally for 4-6 minutes or until very slightly softened.
In a small dish combine cornstarch and water. Add to pan while stirring and continue to cook until apples are soft (not mushy) and filling is thickened. Let bubble 1 minute. Cool.
Notes
Some apples are juicier than others. If you would like your filling thicker, combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water. Add a little at a time while the mixture is boiling until you reach desired consistency.
|
| YellowRose |
Posted - Aug 23 2017 : 10:23:35 AM
While I was straitening up my walk in closet I found my Apple Festival garden flag from the first year. Had forgotten about it. Out of sight out of mind. Will put it on Sept 1 and bring it in on Apple Pie Sunday.
Sara~~~ FarmGirl Sister #6034 8/25/14
FarmGirl of the Month Sept 2015.
Lord put your arm around my shoulders and your hand over my mouth.
|
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Aug 22 2017 : 10:42:07 AM
I'm excited for Apple Pie Sunday! Last year I had plans to make one but things came up and I was unable to. We still had applesauce to somewhat participate in the day. I'll be more prepared this time around.
Looking forward to seeing what others will be making or doing!
Krista |
| Red Tractor Girl |
Posted - Aug 22 2017 : 10:39:02 AM
Wow, Bonnie, I know your upcoming fair is going to be lots of fun and I would love to see all of the apple festivities that are planned. Maybe some Honeycrisp apples will be ripe and available for purchase too! They are delicious. If you wish to sign up for the apple swap of the apple giveaway, just look for the link on the Chatroom and sign up. The more the merrier, I say!!
Winnie #3109
Red Tractor Girl
Farm Sister of the Year 2014-2015 |
| Bonnie Ellis |
Posted - Aug 21 2017 : 8:10:58 PM
Winnie, I'm geared up and rarin' to go. This week our fair starts and there are many Apple related activities. I'd love to be in the swap and whatever else. Who said apples are only for the teacher.
grandmother and orphan farmgirl |
| Red Tractor Girl |
Posted - Aug 21 2017 : 12:08:43 PM
How fun Sara, that you have an apple apron and table linens to use this year in September!! I know you also love savory things and was wondering if you ever made an apple chutney? It is delicious on pork chops and chicken or turkey. The ones I have had contained both apples and raisins in the ingredients. It is also delicious to use on a sandwich with chicken , turkey or ham.
Winnie #3109
Red Tractor Girl
Farm Sister of the Year 2014-2015 |
| YellowRose |
Posted - Aug 20 2017 : 3:55:45 PM
Winnie, I'm all set for this year's festival. Last year Linda 'Quiltee' gifted me a apron made from a vintage tablecloth with apples on it. Betty, my sister, gave me a table runner and place mats with apples on them. Now all I have to do is decide on apple pie recipe for Apple Pie Sunday. It's fun planning for a special event and talking about it. Thanks for keeping our annual Apple Festival going.
Sara~~~ FarmGirl Sister #6034 8/25/14
FarmGirl of the Month Sept 2015.
Lord put your arm around my shoulders and your hand over my mouth.
|
| levisgrammy |
Posted - Aug 20 2017 : 3:44:38 PM
Looking forward to this Winnie!
~Denise~
Farmgirl Sister #43
"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105
http://www.ladybugsandlilacs.blogspot.com/
http://www.torisgram.etsy.com |
