Fall To-Do
Reported by Gabi Shirley
As the sun goes down earlier and the temperature drops, we know seasons are changing. Fall comes with favorite activities such as visiting local pumpkin patches, apple-picking, school starting, and weekend football games.
The most visible change, of course, is the changing of leaves from a bright green to yellows, oranges, and browns. Newberg is known for its rich history and easy access to local farms and pumpkin patches. These pumpkin patches can be a great outing for a Saturday afternoon. A few favorites in Newberg, Sherwood, and Tualatin include Red Berry Barn, Our Table Cooperative, and Lee’s Farm.
Red Berry Barn is in Sherwood, Ore., and is known for its many events and fresh produce, including honey and jams. This farm is livelier than most because it offers barrel rides, mazes, slides, and of course a u-pick pumpkin patch. Red Berry Barn works towards sustainability and offers the freshest products.
Our Table Cooperative is a unique business because of how they grow and recycle their food. They focus on being as sustainable as possible by reusing leftovers as compost and using animals to fertilize fields. Eighty percent of the ingredients used to run an in-house store and café come from the farm itself. In the fall they have pumpkin patch visits. Our Table also serves as a community supported agriculture site where you can buy a share of the farm and receive fresh in-season produce weekly.
Lee’s Farm is a local favorite located in Tualatin, Ore., and is very family friendly. The site offers a u-pick pumpkin patch and many farm animals to interact with; visitors can hold bunnies and pet small chicks. They are also famous for their apple cinnamon doughnuts and sweet store with a variety of fresh produce.
After a full day of picking berries and pumpkins and eating freshly made food, evening calls for a cup of freshly made cider. This recipe from Campbell’s Kitchen is an easy way to bring fall into your dorm room/kitchen:
You need 8 cups of apple juice, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, cloves, orange slices, strainer, and a pot.
Heat up the apple juice with all the spices on medium heat for five minutes or until simmering. When it is hot, pour and strain the cider into a heat proof container or straight into mugs. You can add cinnamon sticks, orange slices, or whipped cream to make it your own.
