African Vanielje on Sep 24 2007 at 10:55 pm | Filed under: Uncategorized
We’re definitely into Autumn now, and if the weather hasn’t been enough of a hint, my daughter’s school is holding their Harvest Festival this Friday. They have chosen the theme of Somerset Apples this year, not only because it is Autumnal and local, but to highlight the fact that one of the things Somerset is famous for, is slowly slipping away as fewer orchards mean fewer apples, and some old varieties are becoming scarce.
On Wednesday the whole school walks across the fields (wellies and macs a-plenty) to attend a special harvest service in the village church. Each older child pairs up with a little-y and traditionally they all carry with them a Harvest offering. Only with this school it is tins of food, packets of biscuits, toothpaste and jam, in fact, anything that may be of some use to the homeless as the weather turns cold. I cannot find it in me to mourn the historically correct baskets of wheat sheaves and trugs of apples, plums and berries that usually make such a charming English country picture. I am sure that this arrangement the children at Dakota’s school have finds favour with Him.
And they still get to do the country thing for their Harvest Fair. All week the classes are baking, cooking, juicing and bagging using apples donated from local orchards. Finished products to be proudly displayed at class stalls on Friday evening. Causing much excitement this year is the Shiniest Apple Competition, the Best Flower in a Jar Competition, the Oddest Vegetable Competition, and pictured above is Dakota’s entry into the Decorated Apple Competition. Apparently there is also a local tradition of giving decorated apples, plucked from your own orchard at harvest of course. Dakota’s has been duly plucked, shined and decorated and garnished with a fragrant sprig of lavender from one of the bushes at school.
Serendipitous, as I wanted to remind you all that this is the last week for TGRWT #6 challenge. All Apple & Lavender combos to be in by Monday 1 Oct please. Or there abouts…
That is such a nostalgic reminder for me. Walking across fields in wellies to the village church, harvest festival, apples plucked from trees - all part of my childhood in Somerset The best dressed apple contest is new though!
Is looks great, but remember: shining an apple will reduce the time it keeps well, you’ve just removed it’s protective layer. It has to be eaten soon.
Hi there you have a great blog,lovely recipes. Feel free to visit my blog too
Jeena xx
click here for food recipes
Kit, it’s new to me too, but it sure has got the kids enthused. Weather here is suitably Autumnal as well, just as your winter starts making way for spring.
Lizet, I always thought that the protective layer was wax that is added to prolong life of non-organic fruit. Shop bought apples always seem to shine much better than home picked ones.
Jeena, thanks for visiting. I like to eat seasonally and locally (and well) so my blog is just a reflection of this. Just popping over to your blog to visit…
The natural protective layer of the apple doesn’t shine or feel sticky like wax, an apple only shines when you rub it on your sleeve or with a towel, or even paper.
For instance, look up on my blog: Syden Hempje, an apple from way back then. The protective layer is the ’silk chemise’. All apples have a natural protection like of some kind, more or less strong, or visible.
The shiny apples in the supermarkt indeed have that unnatural sticky plasticlike waxlayer that is sprayed onto the apple.