Celebrate the fall season
By Morgan Hannah, Life & Style Editor
With the end of the summer season approaching, many people may be feeling a little down due to plans being postponed or cancelled this year. But fret not! Fall is a simply stunning season too, and in Canada, fall is a beautiful time of year.
There’s lots to love about the fall, like the fashion world flourishing with cozy sweaters, stylish jeans, ankle boots, and scarves. Even the weather becomes rather dreamlike as the daylight grows shorter, the air takes on a chilly autumn briskness, and the leaves change to many wonderful colours!
This year, it seems we are all sticking close to home, so why not make the most of it with these budget-friendly and fabulously healthy family fall activities!
Apple-picking
All year-round, we look forward to the delicious flavours of apples in all their glorious forms—crisps, candied, and in pie!—so, it’s a good thing that British Columbia has orchards and orchards of delicious and healthy apples ready and ripe for the picking. This inexpensive outdoor activity is fun and relaxing, promoting a sense of domestic pride. Also, apple-picking can provide a great background for that perfect fall photoshoot!
A few great
spots to check out:
Davison Orchards in Vernon, BC: A super cute place to pick your apples and
visit the gift shop for a tasty sampling of what you can do with your haul.
Paynter’s Fruit Market in Westbank, BC: You can pick plums, pears, and
juicy, sweet apples here!
Taves Family Farm in Abbotsford, BC: In addition to apples, Taves has a corn
maze, cider samples, and sunflower patches!
Apple Cider Making
Now that
you’ve got all your apples, it’s time to make something with them! Sure, you’ve
got your classic pies and crumbles, but have you tried making apple cider? It’s
a sweet, tummy-pleasing, hand-warming fall-season drink that pairs perfectly
with the previously mentioned desserts and with a stick of cinnamon. Thank you
to Gimme Some Oven for this perfectly easy crock pot
apple cider recipe!
Ingredients:
10 to 12 medium apples (assorted
types), quartered
2 oranges, quartered (also peeled, if you prefer less tart cider)
4 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon whole cloves
Optional extra seasonings: 1 teaspoon whole allspice, 1 whole nutmeg, and/or 1
inch fresh ginger
16 cups water
1/2 cup sweetener (brown sugar or maple syrup are great!)
Method:
Combine your ingredients (apples, oranges, cinnamon, cloves and optional extra seasonings) in a large crock pot. Fill with water, until there’s an inch or two of space at the top. Simmer the ingredients over high heat until bubbling, then bring the heat down to medium-low and let sit for approximately two hours (you want the apples to get soft!). To help release more of the fruits’ flavours, use a potato masher or a wooden spoon to mash all the fruit against the sides of the pot. Following this, cover the pot and let simmer for one more hour. Now to get rid of the solids! Grab a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth and strain out all of the fruit and spices (press them to get every last drop). Sweeten to taste and serve warm!