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Project Discussions:  Learning Together: Let's Talk Fall Festivals  |
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Red Tractor Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
3522 Posts
Winnie
Gainesville
Fl
USA
3522 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 03 2020 : 09:09:51 AM
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In my recent purchase of the Homemade Harvest Gooseberry Patch cookbook, they have one section dedicated to Fall Festivals. We all love and know about the many ways fall was celebrated in our childhood and as adult.
As you know, fall festivals have been a tradition of civilizations from ancient to present. There is a universal joy in bringing in the last big harvest and celebrating. In ancient times, a bountiful harvest meant food for the long Winters and money to pay off debts. Today, we still honor and celebrate our farmers long hot summer's work despite the fact that we have a global food system where we don't have to depend on our local region anymore.
Some of the universal traditions of all fall harvests include gatherings to offer prayers of thanksgiving and feasts from the crops. These old celebrations followed along the year with the Fall Equinox marking the time when most harvests were completed or wrapping up. People would decorate their gathering spaces with flowers and ribbons. Corn and wheat crops were woven into intricate braids that decorated doors.
When Christians began celebrating the fall harvests, horse wagons and the horses were decorated up and food was brought to the church for a blessing and to give thanks to God and Church Bells would ring on the service day . Afterwards a farmer would host a big feast and everyone would attend, bring food to share, play games, and sing and dance. Sound familiar?
When reading the cookbook section, there were recipes for the many sorts of fall gatherings we enjoy today. The list that came to my mind that are still a part of the fall celebration include the following: Favorite Football games, Church festivals, Community Festivals, Corn mazes, U-Pick orchards, day trips up the mountains to see the fall leaves and have a picnic, and many more that might be unique to a specific part of our country.
Gooseberry Patch included recipes that would work for a picnic, tail gating, or gathering at home. Here are some categories included in this section: dips for chips and crackers, crock-pot meals, salads like chili-cornbread salad, and grab and eat sandwiches of all kinds. Yum!!
This month, I thought it would be fun to share some of the ways you have celebrated fall. What sorts of traditions were upheld, what sorts of foods were a must have, and what is your favorite way to celebrate fall these days.
I think my favorite way to celebrate fall growing up was to drive up to the mountains with THE Family when the leaves were beautiful. We would Go to some designated walking and hiking paths and enjoy the hike and then come back and have a feast. Usually there werepull off areas with a view and sometimes picnic tables. If no tables, just did a tail gate meal and enjoyed the view. There are many state parks in the mountains now so it is usually easy to find places that picnicking is possible and facilities are present to use. Growing up in Charlottesville, Va. , the Blue Ridge Parkway was just about an hour drive away. We used to go up to the mountains several times in the fall on a Sunday afternoon after church. We also loved to stop at the little farmer's stands and get apples, homemade cider, and other late garden veggies. It was usually much cooler up on the mountains than it was at home, and I remember the feeling of the chilly air on my face as we ran around. Everyone always fell asleep on the drive home as it turned dark.
Let's share here together. If you are interested, please share your favorite fall festival recipe too. October is here, cooler days are already happening in some places, and it is time to enjoy those warm and satisfying dishes that seem best in the Fall.
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Winnie Nielsen #3109
Red Tractor Girl
Farm Girl of the Year 2014-2015 |
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quiltee
True Blue Farmgirl
4742 Posts
Linda
Terrell
TX
USA
4742 Posts |
Posted - Oct 03 2020 : 2:19:21 PM
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| I love going to Fall Festivals. I enjoy seeing the arts and crafts - sometimes to buy something I like and sometimes to get ideas of things to make. several years ago I had a booth in several festivals. I decided that I'd rather look and not participate. LOL! |
Linda B
quiltee
Farmgirl #1919
FGOTM for August, 2015 and April, 2017
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TexasGran
True Blue Farmgirl
5777 Posts
Marilyn
Stephenville
Texas
USA
5777 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2020 : 05:58:16 AM
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| I'm with you Linda! We have a few around here...it is fun to see all of the pretties. |
Texasgran |
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Red Tractor Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
3522 Posts
Winnie
Gainesville
Fl
USA
3522 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2020 : 08:35:25 AM
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I love Fall Festivals as well but no longer like the ones that bring hundreds and thousands of people. Instead, I prefer the small more community driven ones instead of the big money maker events.
There have been many a fall festival where I found family Christmas and birthday gifts. I enjoy helping out the small crafters as well as finding something unique and lovely to gift. |
Winnie Nielsen #3109
Red Tractor Girl
Farm Girl of the Year 2014-2015 |
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quiltee
True Blue Farmgirl
4742 Posts
Linda
Terrell
TX
USA
4742 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2020 : 09:50:38 AM
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| I agree, Winnie. The smaller local ones, some even in churches, have the more unusual gifts. I love the festivals between now and middle December. |
Linda B
quiltee
Farmgirl #1919
FGOTM for August, 2015 and April, 2017
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levisgrammy
Scattered Prairie Hen Honcho
9532 Posts
Denise
Ohio
USA
9532 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2020 : 5:14:30 PM
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| It seems today is the last day of the annual Autumn Leaf festival here. We missed it but found out from the receptionist here that the town called it off but the businesses here weren't having any of that. They set it up and had it anyway. Following guidelines. Ours is soon but they aren't having any vendors this year. |
Denise~~
Sister #43
"I am a bookaholic with no desire to be cured."
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path"
Psalm 119:105
www.ladybugsandlilacs.blogspot.com
www.torisgram.etsy.com |
Edited by - levisgrammy on Oct 04 2020 5:15:11 PM |
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Killarney
True Blue Farmgirl
2114 Posts
Connie
Arlington
TN
USA
2114 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2020 : 5:57:44 PM
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I love Fall Festivals!!There are many here in my area. Several of the large churches have them too. One small town of Rosemark, tn has a Vintage Tractor contest. They give ribbons and a trophy to the Best Tractor! They have rides like the county fair. And you can enter your pies and Jams and quilts. Fun! 3 miles up the hwy from me.I need to check to see if it has been cancelled for this year. The Goat festival was canceled and the Tomato Festival 2 counties from me.
One fall festival was so huge they had a city bus running to pick you up from different places and drop you off at the park where its held in Germantown, Tn. I havent been to that one in years. My favorite one is in Cordova, tn. The old school was turned into a community center and they hold thier Fall Festival there.vendors set up in the classrooms and Gym and outside on the grounds .They preserved one classroom. Looks like time has stood still. It has all the desk and chalkboard from the 1950's. School work has been laminated and on the students desk so you can pick it up and read it. The american flag hangs from the chalkboard. A big wooden paddle is on the teachers desk. The paddle's name is Fanny Burns!! LOL!! I Love to wander around the room. They have school books from the 1940's to the 1970's. You can rent the school for parties. A lot of people who went to school there love to have their milestone birthday party there.
Connie |
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StitchinWitch
True Blue Farmgirl
1275 Posts
Judith
Galt
CA
USA
1275 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2020 : 6:10:07 PM
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| Unfortunately no festivals or other gatherings here yet. Hopefully by this time next year we will all be vacinnated, the virus will have run its course, and we can all go out and have fun again. |
Judith
7932
Happiness is Homemade
FGOTM 6/21, 6/24 |
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TexasGran
True Blue Farmgirl
5777 Posts
Marilyn
Stephenville
Texas
USA
5777 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2020 : 8:13:42 PM
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Fall gatherings are such fun! Connie you live in a neat area! Hopefully after our POTUS has his say..hopefully people will listen to him.
Denise how does your community have a fair without vendors? People love to eat and drink. They also love to look and shop! I'm sorry, I don't understand. |
Texasgran |
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levisgrammy
Scattered Prairie Hen Honcho
9532 Posts
Denise
Ohio
USA
9532 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2020 : 04:06:09 AM
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| Marilyn, It is not a fair but a festival. They still have the normal vendors for the Amish Mkt but no additional outside vendors. They also have pumpkin picking and the corn maze. |
Denise~~
Sister #43
"I am a bookaholic with no desire to be cured."
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path"
Psalm 119:105
www.ladybugsandlilacs.blogspot.com
www.torisgram.etsy.com |
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debbieklann
True Blue Farmgirl
2706 Posts
Debbie
Madras
OR
USA
2706 Posts |
Posted - Oct 21 2020 : 4:01:12 PM
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Winnie, what sweet memories of driving in the mountains! I love the feel in the air when fall is finally on its way.
My daughter was part of a vendor show in a town about 3 hours from here. For a couple of years, I would go with her and we would set up her booth and stay for the Friday evening and all day Saturday shopping, spending the night. It was a lot of work but a lot of fun, too. I loved looking at all of the vintage things that other vendors had brought. The last year there was a booth that was all vintage linens, etc. I was in heaven! I brought quite a few things home with me. It was rewarding for my daughter to see all of her hard work in her projects go to new homes.
I have felt like something has been missing this month with no festivals or shows to attend. We have an old barn on the property that we have used for various functions and we had thought about starting our own vendor show at some point. Maybe in a year or two? But...it might be easier to just ATTEND one than to put one on! Have to give that some thought! |
Debbie Klann
Farmgirl Sister #770
2018 Farmgirl Sister of the Year
January 2020 FGOTM
"Well behaved women seldom make history"...
Laurel Thatcher Ulrich |
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levisgrammy
Scattered Prairie Hen Honcho
9532 Posts
Denise
Ohio
USA
9532 Posts |
Posted - Oct 22 2020 : 03:53:51 AM
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Our "festival" has been held every weekend with this the last Friday and Saturday. I will miss it this weekend. We took the grandchildren to our local place to get their pumpkins.
Sure do miss things when we can't have them. Always enjoy the vendors. |
Denise~~
Sister #43
"I am a bookaholic with no desire to be cured."
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path"
Psalm 119:105
www.ladybugsandlilacs.blogspot.com
www.torisgram.etsy.com |
Edited by - levisgrammy on Oct 22 2020 03:54:52 AM |
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Red Tractor Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
3522 Posts
Winnie
Gainesville
Fl
USA
3522 Posts |
Posted - Oct 22 2020 : 4:09:12 PM
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| I sure do miss the fall festivals down here as well. Of course, it has been punishing hot most of September and October, so maybe it is just as well. I feel for those people who do the festival circuit as a means of getting money. The current situation highlights another form of unemployment for some people. |
Winnie Nielsen #3109
Red Tractor Girl
Farm Girl of the Year 2014-2015 |
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Project Discussions: Learning Together: Let's Talk Fall Festivals |
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Learning Together: Let's Talk Fall Festivals
