’Tis the season for carving pumpkins, a tradition that has its roots in an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain, celebrated from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1. During this small window of time, the Celts believed that spirits could easily travel back to the world of the living from wherever they had taken up residence when they left. Hollowing out a turnip or potato, carving a scary face into it, and placing it in the window with a lit candle inside it was one method the Celts used to discourage wandering spirits from coming to call.
The name “jack-o’-lantern” also came from Ireland, by way of an Irish folktale about Stingy Jack. Jack was a tricky fellow, so tricky that he was eventually doomed to walk the Earth for all eternity with a hollowed-out turnip lit by an ember from hell. The Celts came to call their evil-spirit-deterring root vegetables “Jack of the Lantern,” or “Jack-o-Lantern,” and the Irish and Scottish brought that Samhain tradition with them to the U.S. when they emigrated here. They soon discovered that pumpkins, native to this country, were much easier to carve than turnips or potatoes, and jack-o’-lanterns, American style, were born. Best not to take any chances; Samhain is coming. Buy a pumpkin (or two) and get carving.
www.carlsonorchards.com
Pick-your-own Evercrisp, McIntosh, Cortland, Northern Spy, Red Rome, Jonagold, Mutsu, Braeburn, Cameo, Granny Smith, and Empire apples (check Facebook daily for other varieties). Available in the store are McIntosh, Macoun, Cortland, Empire, Gala, Golden Delicious, Fuji, Mutsu, and Honeycrisp apples, along with locally grown winter squash, pumpkins, and chrysanthemums.
Store is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily; pick-your-own is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
www.doeorchards.com
End-of-season picking of all apples still on the trees, and there are lots. At the stand, 18 varieties of apples, as well as pumpkins, gourds, cider, and apple firewood.
Stand and pick-your-own hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
www.goodspiritsfarm.com
At the self-service farmstand this week: Organically grown raspberries, blackberries, kale, collards, heirloom tomatoes, tomatillos, and winter squash. Also available at the stand are the farm’s own honey and beeswax, berry jams (including raspberry, peach, blueberry, and blackberry), dahlia and zinnia bouquets, herbal teas and hand cream, and local eggs (in the refrigerator in the adjacent shed).
Stand is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
www.oldfrogpondfarm.com
Closed for the season.
www.westwardorchards.com
At the self-service farmstand this week: Organically grown raspberries, blackberries, kale, collards, heirloom tomatoes, tomatillos, and winter squash. Also available at the stand are the farm’s own honey and beeswax, berry jams (including raspberry, peach, blueberry, and blackberry), dahlia and zinnia bouquets, herbal teas and hand cream, and local eggs (in the refrigerator in the adjacent shed).
Stand is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
—Compiled by Joan Eliyesil