Thursday, September 23, 2010

Welcome Fall!

Fall is officially here, and I'm welcoming her with big, open arms. The season's delights are everywhere I look.

At this "free iced tea" stand (I left a donation, of course). The chatter: all about the day's 'weigh-in' for football and last night's game.


At the new Goodwill store in Paramus, New Jersey. An aspiring young Wonder Woman was thrilled to find the costume of her dreams!


At a little roadside farm stand on Oradell Avenue in Oradell, New Jersey (right near the post office). Find hardy mums and apples for sale here.

Apple crisp. Baked apples. Apples and peanut butter. Applesauce, so good on potato pancakes, with Field Roast apple sage vegan sausage and red cabbage for an at-home Oktoberfest celebration, which I just enjoyed). Or just on their own.

At Abram Demaree Homestead , cheerful scarecrows are about.

Never tire of this view, ever.

A small pumpkin pie, shared three-ways, one for myself, one for my mother, and one for my dad, $4.95. Good thing my sister doesn't like pumpkin pie, we ran out of slices!


At Demarest Farm, where magical cornfields are set up. The air is filled with the aromas of cider donuts, and apple picking armies have big smiles on their faces.

A favorite seasonal lunch: vegetarian chili, ($4.59/lb.), a corn muffin, $1.90 and apple cider, $1.75.

Inviting picnic tables (my fair skin demaned a shaded picnic bench).


On the heels of news of Demarest Farm being for sale, came this depressing headline: Potential commercial development of DePiero's Farm presented. A big box supermarket seems likely.

A cherished childhood memory of fall is visiting Van Riper's Farm and Tice Farms in Montvale, New Jersey, watching apple cider being pressed, eating cider donuts, and delighting in their holiday decorations. Van Riper's is now an A&P supermarket; Tice's, an upscale strip mall with J.Crew, Banana Republic, and Pier1.

When dining or shopping at the farm, I always think what a lovely way to spend the weekend as opposed to running around the mall buying things I don't really need. Farms or malls? My vote is solid: farms.

Find a local farm near you through LocalHarvest.

4 comments:

ConsciouslyFrugal said...

The photo of the view you'll never get tired of is GORGEOUS! Love it.

We don't really get much color here in the fall from changing leaves in SoCal, but we do have some delicious apples. It's my favorite part about this season. Well, if you can claim "seasons" out here!

I'm so sorry to hear about the big box store. So depressing. There's hardly a square inch out here that isn't developed. 'Tis grating on the soul. :(

Catherine said...

Thank you! I am grateful these lovely farms exist, and cannot imagine not visiting them regularly. All this in the midst of Bergen County, which you wouldn't know from my blog, has so many malls. When I drive to that farm in the picture, I pass a packed full supermarket, while the farms have so few customers in comparison.

Apples are a favorite part to savor too. I'm sure southern California has plenty of charms, including bountiful produce year-round I would imagine.

Ted Teodoro said...

Is it time again for hot cider on cool days? I like the hot cider stands that attract a swarm of bees. I think they like crushed apples.

I love Summer for the warm temps and sunlight. However, the most beautiful days of the year occur in the Fall. I should enjoy the Fall by not missing Summer.

Catherine said...

There is certainly much I will miss about summer, most simple pleasures: sipping lemonade, eating a juicy peach or watermelon, going for a swim, taking a nap in a breezy shaded spot. Summer shall be missed, but the great joy of life is it will in due time return with all its delights.