September Monthly Party

Fall Harvest Festival

The Harvest Festival is held in the fall, usually in late September. Tables are covered with orange, yellow, and green plastic covers. Centerpieces are vegetables from staff member’s gardens or the farmer’s market: pumpkins, zucchini, bell peppers, a variety of squash such as butternut, buttercup, spaghetti, and smaller colorful varieties. Small bunches of dill and greens can be displayed in green pint jars. Canning lids and rings can be scattered around the centerpiece veggies. A small table at the entrance, draped with a green or orange plastic cover can be used to display a large pressure cooker, a small hot water cooker, jar tongs, and on the floor in front of the table, a basket filled with fruits and vegetables is a great touch. All the items displayed will provide a spring board for memories held by every individual in attendance. 

The menu can be varied but one should attempt to keep the foods related to the topic and time of year. Apples or pear pies, cobblers, or other desserts would be appropriate. Sweet potato fries, vegetable tempura, dill pickles, beet pickles, baked squash, parsnips, etc. are also viable options.

The host/hostess should dress the part: bib overalls, flannel or chambray shirt, yellow work gloves, straw hat. Host will share information on local harvest issues: what is grown, how much is grown, what is the going price, what are vegetables worth at the farmer’s market, etc. Gather comparison data from 50 years ago and give those compared to prices for wheat, oats, barley, etc. Also share the cost of main pieces of farm equipment such as tractors, combines, plows from 50 years ago compared to today. 

What did it cost to raise a bushel of wheat 50 years ago and today? What was the average yield per acre then and now? 

How have crop types changed over the years? Just for fun, ask a show of hands for those who drove John Deere and then International. How many women drove the tractor? How many women put up vegetables for winter?