A WINDOW INTO FALL ACTIVITIES - Gathering Foraging, Baking, Festivals & Photography

A Window into Fall Activities

PHOTOS by LEAH WRIGHT / SALT DRIFTER PRODUCTIONS

Gathering, Foraging, Baking, Festivals, and Photography

by ALANA OWEN

As the seasons shift and the inevitable changes come upon us, our focus also changes from outdoor warm-weather activities to indoor events, hobbies, friends, family gatherings, and fall festivals. In California our seasons were not quite so dramatic compared to Oklahoma; however, I have learned to embrace and even enjoy the cooler temperatures we experience in Oklahoma. My relocation has even prompted new interests and hobbies. For instance, foraging and baking the goodies I gather.

Oklahoma fall brings us those wonderful wild persimmons and pecans. What a marvelous mix the two ingredients make, especially when combined with farm fresh eggs and home harvested honey: the makings of “A Taste of Oklahoma”, my own unique cookie recipe. Even my husband, one of the individuals who mows state highways for a living, has found a new appreciation for what he refers to as nuisance shrubs (wild persimmon trees).

Years ago, I ran across an old farmstead with a beautiful orchard of fruit trees surrounding the house. The pears and apples were falling on the ground and many of those that remained on the trees were partially ravished by birds and other creatures. I decided to knock on the door and offer to barter in exchange for picking some apples and pears. The homeowner, Ruby, was sitting inside with a TV in the background while knitting something that was not yet identifiable. Ruby motioned for me to come in, so I opened the door. She asked me to sit down and visit, which I was glad to oblige. Ruby introduced herself and continued to talk as if we had been long friends just meeting up again. Ruby shared her life story and that of the old home where she resided. I introduced myself to Ruby as her neighbor and said that I would love to harvest some of her apples and pears in return for jams and sauces.

Two weeks after that initial meeting I returned to Ruby’s house with apple and pear jam, along with a dozen farm fresh eggs. From that point on, Ruby and I became good friends. One year I entered one of her knitted animals and a potholder in the local County Fair; both won first place. A short time later, one of Ruby’s family members came to my home to advise me of her passing. I was heartbroken.

Today my own apple and pear trees are producing nicely in a small orchard at my own ranch. Each year I pick them, I smile in thankfulness and think of my friend Ruby and all the seasons we passed visiting in her living room.

If you are seeking ideas for your own fall fun beyond the annual festivals, consider making a “Fall Bucket List.” Friend and neighbor Leah Wright came by my home to do a photography session for my article and shared her love of a hobby that recently turned professional. Leah, who moved to Oklahoma a year and a half ago for her daughter’s surgery, said she loves fall photography primarily for all the foliage picture opportunities. Leah is planning to travel to North Carolina this fall for a photography gig and some fun.

I was happy to share some of my fall favorites with Leah as she left, like the pear sauce, persimmon cookies, rainbow colored farm fresh eggs, and home-grown herbs.

The Oklahoma Corridor offers various fun family farm adventures during the fall. Parkhurst Ranch in Arcadia offers “Fireside Fridays” which includes bonfires with live music, s’mores, and moonlight mazes. The ranch offers pony rides, hay mazes, a petting zoo, a fairy castle, fall games, hayrides, pumpkins, field trips, special events, and concession stands. The fall events begin Friday, September 24, 2021, and end Sunday, December 19, 2021. The ranch is open Thursdays from 1 PM to dark, Fridays from 1 PM to 10 PM, and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 PM to dark. If you plan to make this fall festival a destination, check times and confirm opening in advance.

For those seeking to bring the festivities to their location, A & K farms, out of Chandler, will travel all over the state to provide a petting zoo, pony rides, carnival and vendor events, photography packages, birthday parties and other special events.

Other areas along The Corridor that offer farm festivals include Grider Farm Pumpkin Patch in the Perkins/Stillwater area, and Pleasant Valley Farms in Sand Springs.

Cushing is hosting their 33rd Annual Festival in the Park, September 25, 2021, from 9 AM to 2 PM. This event will have free rides and other attractions, including Capstone the Magician and various vendor booths to shop at. A local group plans to kick off the event with a run at 7 AM in Memorial Park. Entertainment will take place throughout the day at the park’s amphitheater stage. The event will host vendors providing the opportunity to create your own art for a small fee. Nonprofit organizations will have bake sales and other food items available for purchase. Ten different chili specials will be available as part of the Cushing Lions Club Chili Cook-Off sample and vote event.

For festivals and activities of a more giving nature, consider attending the Fall Festival hosted by Helping Hands Community Foundation, October 2, 2021, at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds in Chandler. This event will take place from noon to 5 PM. Entrance is free with a can of corn or green beans, and activities include a pumpkin patch, vendors, food trucks, bounce house, pony rides, and pumpkin painting.

If you are looking for something quieter and quainter, possibly in an informal home setting, consider a Friendsgiving party. Friendsgiving, something that has become popular among younger adults, is often held a week before the traditional Thanksgiving holiday. Typically, in a potluck stress-free style, friends can gather to celebrate their thankfulness in their friendships. This is a great opportunity to begin new traditions and express appreciation and kindness to our closest friends. I will be gathering around a bonfire and barbeque at our home on October 2 with friends.

Enjoy your fall time fellow Oklahomans. Remember to confirm events are open prior to heading out for your destinations to avoid disappointment.

A TASTE OF OKLAHOMA PERSIMMON COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1 cup Oklahoma honey, 2 farm fresh eggs, 1 cup wild Oklahoma persimmon pulp, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 cups flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon each of allspice, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice, 1 cup raisins or cranberries, 1 cup Oklahoma pecans.

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls. Mix both bowls into one, then add in raisins and pecans. Stir lightly to mix in raisins and pecans. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 15 minutes on a greased cookie sheet. This batter freezes well and so do the cookies.

A bonus to making this recipe is the fall aroma these cookies will bring to your entire house.n THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / SEPTEMBER 2021 31

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