Preserving the Harvest

With such a beautiful growing season, this year’s autumn harvest is bountiful! Be sure to share your photos and food preservation tips in our Facebook Group. What are some of your favorite fall recipes? We’d love to know! You may also want to check out these “how-to” videos found on the UMaine Cooperative Extension website.

Pick Your Own Apples

Might it be time to create (or continue) a family tradition? There are many local orchards where you can pick-your-own apples. This is a very special treat for children, especially, but everyone can get in on the fun. The Portland Press Herald put together this wonderful directory of Maine orchards. Many of these farms offer specialty foods and outdoor activities geared towards the whole family!

Pumpkin Carving Tips

Here are some ideas for decorating with pumpkins:

Extend the life of your pumpkin (from our sponsors at Monrovia)

The perfect centerpiece for fall gatherings (from our sponsors at Espoma)

Pumpkin carving tips from Estabrook’s

Pumpkin carving patterns from Pumpkin Pile

Fall Clean-Up

Of course, this is also a great time of year to put your gardens to bed and protect them for the coming winter. Cleaning up clutter and debris around the yard will make spring that much nicer! You may also need to insulate and shelter some of your more fragile plants and shrubs. Here is an excellent checklist from Safewise.

No matter what your favorite fall activities are, we hope you will get out there and enjoy digging in the dirt, harvesting vegetables, picking apples, pruning shrubs, or carving pumpkins. There’s still plenty of time to enjoy the outdoors in Maine and to make your garden spaces beautiful for this year and years to come!