Apple Butter- yum!

This is the season for pumpkin patches and trips to the orchard, so why not whip up a batch of delicious apple butter? One of my family's favorite fall treats, apple butter can be enjoyed as a spread on toast, crackers or fruit slices. Essentially, apple butter is just spiced and seasoned applesauce, but oh, is it tasty!!

Make a trip to a local farm or farmer's market to pick up some fresh organic apples, then get ready to can! Here are a few sites we've found with great apple butter recipes and instructions:

Pick Your Own- http://www.pickyourown.org/applebutter.htm

Simply Recipes- http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/000119apple_butter.php

While you're at the pumpkin patch, grab a few extra pumpkins and make some pumpkin butter as well!

Pumpkin Patches and More- http://www.pumpkinpatchesandmore.org/pumpkinbutter.php

Mahalo- http://www.mahalo.com/How_to_Make_Pumpkin_Butter

...isn't your mouth watering just thinking about it??? Yum!

YARD SALE!! A follow-up to Jan Holman's fall article

After reading Jan Holman's helpful article full of hints and tips for holding a successful yard sale, Todd & Kelly McGregor of Chico were inspired to hold a yard sale of their own! They arranged for two other families to come over to their house on a Saturday in late September for a multi-family sale. The fact that they live in a central location in Chico was helpful, but Jan's tips are what really made the day run seamlessly. Using stickers for pricing items in a simple way, grouping like-items, being ready for early-birds and laying things out to keep things un-cluttered lead to a easy and fun yard sale. The McGregors and their friends cleaned things up and priced items the night before and held their sale on just one day. Although they were exhausted at the end of the day, they had rid their garage of lots of old "stuff" while diverting it all from the landfill and raised over $600!! What a great way to clean up and be green while earning some "green" at the same time!!