Our Autumn Harvest
Sep 28th, 2007 by Brian Hurlburt
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“Why not buy deer apples” someone said the other day when I stopped in on our way by. We were out for our annual autumn harvest when we collect our apples, grapes, mint, rose hips, and so on for our jelly making. I politely said well, I prefer the one’s without the chemicals on them. Which is true.
However, it’s only part of the reason I spend the day driving around the countryside searching out the bounty nature provides.
There are far deeper reason that I make what to me has become an annual pilgrimage.
I take Denis and we go to the places that mean something to me. Whether it’s picking apples in Kemptville, Norwood, Springdale, or Rose Hips and Mint in Port Maitland and Beaver River, or Grapes in our favorite spots. (Hmmm, I’m not about to tell the world where we get those!) Though all these places have special meaning to me.
So not only do I connect to these places when I’m there, I also think about the residents, many who have now passed away, who live there.
Then when I make the jelly and latter this winter when I’m spreading it on my toast in the morning I’ll reconnect to these people and places.
That cannot be purchased with a $5 bag of deer apples!
So I make our annual pilgrimage to harvest the things I need for making jelly and to help reconnect with friends and places of old.
When I gather my apples I think of mom and dad, the people of Kemptville, Ace & Nettie Sweeney and their family, The Reeves family along with their home and camp, and others along the way.
The Rose Hips I gather from Port Maitland and Beaver River and they remind me of Ms. Jeffery and even the Bartlett Indians that used to travel between Bartlett’s Beach in the Summer and Bartlett’s Dead Water in the Winter.
The mint I gather from our old homestead in Port Maitland and it reconnects me to my family, our farm, and many childhood memories.
The grapes are a new find, we’ve only been aware of them for the past five years, but we are thankful to the family who allows us to go there and gather them.
The reason I gave the person who suggested the deer apples is also part of the equation. It is much nicer to know the jelly we use and share with our family and friends is of an organic nature and all grows in the wilds. Some may have been planted and introduced by those who once lived there but it now grows wild and makes for awesome jelly.
The deeper and more important reason though is the connection the annual autumn harvest provides to the land, the people, and the memories of times now past. It is this deeper connection that the autumn harvest brings that can never be found in a bag of deer apples.
Although the previous sentence would be a beautiful place to stop, I think I should take a moment to encourage you to start your own tradition. Harvesting is easy, though time consuming, as is making jelly and preserves. By introducing your family to the autumn harvest you’ll not only be creating a great opportunity to spend time with your family you’ll be creating a learning opportunity for you and your children.
Things to remember when harvesting, especially for the first time, are number one show respect to the area your harvesting on. Remember to ask permission of the landowner or go somewhere you know you already have permission to be. Then remember to take any trash with you and to pick up trash others have left behind! Leave some of what you’re harvesting behind for others and for the animals and people who live there. Take time to teach your children and friends about the people and places you visit. That way we’ll always have those memories to treasure and the land to harvest on. Who knows maybe you’ll even create some new memories for your friends and family to treasure in time to come.
Remember also to go the extra step and take a bottle of your jelly back to the landowner and they’ll appreciate it. Who knows, they may even let you go back there for the next autumn harvest.
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For YarmouthCounty.com, this has been Brian Hurlburt, and I invite you to Make it a great day!
Sincerely,
Brian Hurlburt
customerservice@yarmouthcounty.com
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Helpful Links
Traditional (Native American) Food, Health MENU
Recipes from Canada Bed and Breakfast Hosts
Recipe Gal Jams and Jelly Recipes
Please Note: There seemingly is nothing worse than having a jelly, or other recipe, fail. Please know that the above links have been placed here for your convenience. I have not tested all the recipes and we assume no responsibility for the information placed here via links or otherwise.
There are definitely recipes and other information contained herein I’m planning to use; however, let me repeat we assume no responsibility for the information presented here.
If you’d like the recipes I use please feel free to contact me.