Fun and Sustainable Fall Activities

It’s hard to believe that Fall is just around the corner, and with it comes many exciting seasonal activities. Fall not only brings cooler weather, but also many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors before the cold Winter season. It is always important that we keep sustainability in mind and how sustainable practices can change with each season. Some recommendations for fun and sustainable fall activities are below!

Apple Picking

Apple picking is a great way for families to enjoy time outdoors during the Fall. There are numerous orchards around the state that provide opportunities to pick your own apples. Make sure to keep these best practices in mind to avoid damaging the orchard:

• Pick healthy looking apples: avoid bruised, soft, or hard to remove ones.
• Twist, don’t pull apples to remove them.
• Avoid using an apple picker, which can damage the tree.
• Avoid shaking and climbing apple trees, as this could harm them.
• You should never waste food, but it happens! Make sure you compost any waste from the apples if necessary. 

Pumpkin Picking

Apples aren’t the only fruit that families enjoy picking in the fall; pumpkins are also harvested and sold in large quantities. For best picking:

• Make sure that the stem is slightly dry and that the pumpkin has ripened to its full color.
• Make sure that the pumpkin is firm before removing it.
• Keep some stem (up to six inches) on every pumpkin.
• Avoid picking pumpkins up by their stems to keep the stems from coming off, which could result in early rotting.
• Use the vine as compost, unless it is infected (in that case throw it out).

Jack-o-Lanterns 

Carving jack-o-lanterns is one of the most enjoyable Fall traditions. For the best carving experience, follow these tips:

• Choose a pumpkin that sounds hollow when you knock on it.
• For safety, do not leave your jack-o-lantern unattended when it contains a lit candle.
• Clean the pumpkin seeds and bake them to avoid waste and make a fun fall snack! Checkout this recipe to do so. 

We hope you enjoyed this week’s Green Tips. Be sure to check out new tips next week!