| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Red Tractor Girl |
Posted - Sep 01 2015 : 05:51:42 AM
Happy September 1, 2015! If you have not read your September online Sister Issue, today officially starts our Farmgirl Apple Festival here at MaryJanesFarm. The Home office and I have have been planning some fun for all of us to enjoy this month as we ease into the official Fall Season. 
Here is what is on our agenda this month that I hope you will enjoy participating in.
1. I will start with an Apple Swap over at the Swaps Link. The theme will be our favorite Apple Pie recipes. If you love to swap, head on over and sign up to share in the fun.
2. There will be two giveaways so look under this link for a chance to sign up. Both giveaways relate to our Farm Kitchens and one will be set for the first part of the month and the second will come in the middle of the month.
3. We have a new APPLE BADGE!! Although it will be officially announced until January 2016, you can get a head-start on working on your badge during our Farmgirl Festival. Keep in mind, however, that Brian won't be able to approve your badge until the official release in January. I plan to work on mine and have it all ready to submit when 2016 rolls around. Check out the requirements in this month's Sister Issue (September) or in Carol's post below for quick reference. Some of the requirements include sharing here with other Farmgirls what you have learned and created.
4. The Grand Finale will be the First Annual Farmgirl Apple Pie Sunday which will be celebrated this year on Sunday September 27, 2015 . Every year hereafter, we will celebrate this new Farmgirl tradition on the last Sunday of September.
We will also close out the day with choosing the winner of our second giveaway.
Time to start planning your favorite Apple Pie and how you want to celebrate this special Farmgirl month long festival here at MJF. I hope you will share your ideas and plans just like we all did for the Farmgirl Jubilee. Remember all the fun we had in May? It was THE BEST!
I can't wait to see what comes out of the creative minds of so many Farmgirls around the world! If you can post photos, please do, but if you cannot, just tell us what you are making and planning.
Happy Apple Pickin, Apple canning, Apple stitchin', Apple baking, Apple eatin', and Apple learnin' this September. It is going to be a fantastic Virtual Apple Festival All Month! Apples are a big part of our American history and food traditions. We are going to have fun learning from each other as we go through the month. So please let us know what apple facts you are learning about in your region, finding in your local grocers and farm stands, and share your information with all of us here. I predict that by the end of this month, we are all going to know more about this simple fruit that we mostly never pay much attention to.
Don't forget: An Apple a Day keeps the Doctor Away!
I bet there will be the most awesome Apple Pies created and enjoyed for our Farmgirl Apple Pie Sunday too! My mouth is already watering!
Let's get started together. I am very excited!
Winnie #3109
Red Tractor Girl
Farm Sister of the Year 2014-2015 |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| levisgrammy |
Posted - Oct 08 2023 : 04:30:23 AM
It's been so long since I've posted here but wanted to say that when we moved from NJ we left our little apple tree that we planted. We never did get any apples big enough for anything except feeding the deer. When we moved in here we found we have a little apple tree in the back yard.
Jt picked a few last year but they also didn't look very big or like anything we could use. Well this year I was noticing them as the leaves were starting to drop that they had some red on them and they seemed a bit bigger. My grandson and I went and picked a basket full on Thursday and then yesterday JT went out with one of the granddaughters and picked some more. So I am going to make applesauce with them. They are actually pretty tasty even though they don't look very good on the outside. Will plan to do them on Monday I think.
~Denise
Sister #43~1/18/2007
"I am a bookaholic and I have no desire to be cured." 
"Home is where we find comfort, security, memories, friendship, hospitality, and above all, family. It is the place that deserves our commitment and loyalty." William J. Bennett
"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105
http://www.ladybugsandlilacs.blogspot.com/
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| Dreamer42 |
Posted - Oct 28 2021 : 11:34:34 AM
Ooh, I love the vanilla idea!! Thank you, Winnie!
Dreamer42
Farmgirl Sister #7038 |
| Red Tractor Girl |
Posted - Oct 25 2021 : 10:22:01 AM
I agree with you April, once you make your own applesauce, nothing in the store is anywhere as good. Plus you can add or leave out spices depending on the flavor of the apples you cook down. My Mom never added sugar but instead she used a bit of Vanilla extract to give it a hidden sweetness.
Winnie #3109
Red Tractor Girl
Farm Sister of the Year 2014-2015
FGOTM- October 2018 |
| Dreamer42 |
Posted - Oct 22 2021 : 4:22:08 PM
Denise, I don't think I will ever go back to store bought applesauce again!! It WAS so easy and soooooo delicious!! I made two batches, one unsweetened, the second, unsweetened, but added cinnamon and nutmeg. YUM!
Dreamer42
Farmgirl Sister #7038 |
| levisgrammy |
Posted - Oct 21 2021 : 03:47:41 AM
Crockpot applesauce is so easy. I haven't done mine yet this year. I need to find my canning jars and get started!
Winnie I will look up his blog. Thank you!
~Denise
Sister #43~1/18/2007
"I am a bookaholic and I have no desire to be cured."
"Home is where we find comfort, security, memories, friendship, hospitality, and above all, family. It is the place that deserves our commitment and loyalty." William J. Bennett
"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105
http://www.ladybugsandlilacs.blogspot.com/
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| Dreamer42 |
Posted - Oct 20 2021 : 4:25:17 PM
Oh Michele, I feel for you on the gutted kitchen, but, the remodel will be worth it!!
I just made a crockpot batch of applesauce last week, first time ever, was soooooo delicious!!
Dreamer42
Farmgirl Sister #7038 |
| windypines |
Posted - Oct 20 2021 : 2:24:33 PM
Have the last picked apples cooking in the crockpot. At least I hope I can make sauce that way. My kitchen is gutted for a remodel job. The apples are a yellow apple, from our cow pasture. So who knows what kind they are. They are big and beautiful, and sweet. I do have a few apples in my fridge for eating, Fireside and Honey crisp, from our trees.
Farming in WI
Michele
FGOTM June2019
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| Red Tractor Girl |
Posted - Oct 20 2021 : 12:19:05 PM
Denise, this photo came from John Bunker's blog. John is the person who lives in Maine that I visited in 2014 and learned more about his farm where he has cultivated heirloom apple varieties from his area of Maine. He runs an apple CSA every year for locals to get apples from his farm and try out so many different varieties that have been lost. John created this chart because he does a lot of talks at festivals and other places about apples and this chart is helpful to put a picture with the actual fruit so others might be able to identify what they too have in their own yard.
Winnie #3109
Red Tractor Girl
Farm Sister of the Year 2014-2015
FGOTM- October 2018 |
| levisgrammy |
Posted - Oct 19 2021 : 04:48:46 AM
April, thanks for sharing and for a look at those gorgeous pictures.
Lots of apple treasures for you to enjoy.
Winnie, where did you find the apple chart. Will have to get on my laptop so I can see it clearer. Would love to fins a chart to print out and hang in my kitchen.
I picked up some Gala apples this week. Nice and crunchy. I prefer my eating apples to be crunchy, once they aren't I have to cook them up.
~Denise
Sister #43~1/18/2007
"I am a bookaholic and I have no desire to be cured."
"Home is where we find comfort, security, memories, friendship, hospitality, and above all, family. It is the place that deserves our commitment and loyalty." William J. Bennett
"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105
http://www.ladybugsandlilacs.blogspot.com/
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| Red Tractor Girl |
Posted - Oct 18 2021 : 08:27:15 AM
April, what gorgeous Farmland behind you and those newly picked apples are beautiful! All those yummy apple treats you made with your apples sounds scrumptious too! What a wonderful outing you had with your boys. Apple Festival happiness was enjoyed by all!!
Winnie #3109
Red Tractor Girl
Farm Sister of the Year 2014-2015
FGOTM- October 2018 |
| Dreamer42 |
Posted - Oct 16 2021 : 7:22:35 PM
I'm a tad late - but wanted to share that we did take a day trip to our beautiful Hood River Fruit Loop a week ago and it was a wowser of a day. Couldn't have been a more beautiful day on it's own merit - but a beautiful day in Hood River is simply breath taking. We visited several farms and orchards, picked 60 lbs of various applies, which my boys LOVED! and picnicked near one of Hood Rivers lavendar farms. I have made apple pie, apple bread, home made apple sauce and still have about 30 lbs of apples to go. I wanted to share some pictures with you all - if you ever get chance to visit the fruit loop, please do so, you will not regret it! Happy Fall from my little corner of the world!!
Our beautiful Mt. Hood!
Me with beautiful farmland behind me!
This was across the road from the lavendar farm that we picnicked at!
Some of our hand picked apples!
One of my apple pies!
A few peeks at the Fruit Loop Brochure to share with you all!
Happy Fall!!
Dreamer42
Farmgirl Sister #7038 |
| Red Tractor Girl |
Posted - Oct 04 2020 : 08:59:59 AM
Andrea, Your trip to an apple orchard sounds like fun and was a great way to bring home lots of farm goodness to enjoy!
This year's Apple Festival at MJF was a lot of fun again. I always enjoy hearing other Farmgirl stories and experiences. And, isn't it amazing how many recipes are shared for Apple Pie Sunday?? Apple recipes are in abundance everywhere and I never tire of trying new ones either.
Thank-you all for participating this past month for our annual online celebration. Each year is different and each year more and more Farmgirls are contributing to all the fun and information. Personally, I enjoyed the entire month's celebration and my thanks to everyone who participated.
Thanks to Maine Pomologist, John Bunker who created this apple ID chart for one of the festivals he participates in Maine each fall. People love to come and learn the names of the apples they find and eat and also have a chance to
bring their questions and apples for his input.
Winnie #3109
Red Tractor Girl
Farm Sister of the Year 2014-2015
FGOTM- October 2018 |
| AndreaPA |
Posted - Oct 03 2020 : 12:19:00 PM
Went to an apple orchard today for some fall favorites. Butternut squash, acorn squash, pumpkins for my son and of course apples. My favorite are Macoun. They sell big bags of seconds that I like for applesauce. They had 4 bags but there were only 2 different types. I asked someone if they had a bag of mixed seconds. She seemed confused and then I noticed the girl behind her waving her hands and saying something. When she got closer she said I have 2 bags of mixed seconds and I was trying to figure out how I would sell them. Well, I said I will take them both! I was a bit surprised they don't have people asking for mixed seconds. They make the best applesauce!
I remember my grandmother calling the farmer down the road asking if she can pick up apples off the ground. Then came the applesauce marathon! The farmer had known her all her life and since he wouldn't sell apples that fell to the ground he was happy to have her pick them up.
Andrea
Farmgirl# 8166
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| HollerGirl56 |
Posted - Sep 29 2019 : 03:29:33 AM
Children---I am truly having an apple festival. Our friends at a beautiful subdivision gave us all their apples from old trees on their property. I am freezing and drying and the donkeys and goats are having a ball eating the windfalls. And the farm work goes on and on and on. Waiting for winter---it is play time for me.
Old Age Ain't No Place For Sissies!------Bette Davis |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Sep 26 2017 : 11:38:23 AM
Those cupcakes look delicious! I bet all those kids are enjoying every last bite!
Krista |
| Red Tractor Girl |
Posted - Sep 26 2017 : 10:41:19 AM
Jaime, those cupcakes make my mouth water. They look soooooooo Good!!! YUM!
Winnie #3109
Red Tractor Girl
Farm Sister of the Year 2014-2015 |
| ddmashayekhi |
Posted - Sep 26 2017 : 07:13:13 AM
Save one for me please! They look scrumptious!
Dawn in IL
Life is like a novel, every day is a new page...... |
| farmgirl68 |
Posted - Sep 26 2017 : 06:46:51 AM
Oh my, they look AMAZING!
Katie #7422
Friends are the flowers that bloom in life's garden. |
| AuntJamelle |
Posted - Sep 26 2017 : 06:33:08 AM
I missed making a pie on Sunday! But I did make Caramel Apple Cupcakes last night!
Today is Johnny Appleseed day at my son's school and I dropped off 40 cupcakes this morning for his class.
There are bit of apple as well as apple butter in the spice cake cupcake part. Then you pipe a ring of cream cheese frosting on top (it has a bit of apple butter whipped into it too!) and then a dollop of caramel ice cream topping goes in the center.
I tried one - OF COURSE! :) It was rockin'! Would definitely make again!
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| quiltee |
Posted - Oct 07 2016 : 05:36:39 AM
Yes, Sara - Ed is a keeper.
Farmgirl hugs,
Farmgirl #1919
Farm Girl of the Month August 2015
Linda O
Lone Oak, TX
"Women are Angels, and when someone breaks our wings, we simply continue to fly . . . on a broomstick - we're flexible, like that."
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| levisgrammy |
Posted - Oct 07 2016 : 05:03:11 AM
AppleS are still in full swing here. Apple pie made for the freezer. Apple crisp for dessert.
~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 |
| YellowRose |
Posted - Oct 05 2016 : 10:49:46 AM
Linda, Ed is a keeper.
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. |
| quiltee |
Posted - Oct 05 2016 : 10:01:13 AM
We were on the road for Apple Pie Sunday, but Ed bought me a small apple pie at a fast food stop to celebrate. LOL! It was good, but definitely not as good as homemade. I have apples and am still going to make a fresh pie - one of these days.
Farmgirl hugs,
Farmgirl #1919
Farm Girl of the Month August 2015
Linda O
Lone Oak, TX
"Women are Angels, and when someone breaks our wings, we simply continue to fly . . . on a broomstick - we're flexible, like that."
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| Red Tractor Girl |
Posted - Oct 05 2016 : 09:22:08 AM
Vicki, so happy to hear that your apple pie was a hit of your oldest son!! Apples are just so much fun and good for you too. They are my favorite fruit.
Winnie #3109
Red Tractor Girl
Farm Sister of the Year 2014-2015 |
| Pearlsnjeans |
Posted - Oct 04 2016 : 12:21:47 PM
My apple pie was made and consumed quickly! Apple pie is my oldest son's favorite and he declared it "excellent". We had a fun family dinner! I have always loved apples, and learned about new varieties that are available locally.
Vicki
Farmgirl Sister #120
Nature never repeats herself, and the possibilities of one human soul will never be found in another - Elizabeth Cady Stanton |
