Gardening with Carrie ~ Get your Garden October Ready

Deadhead perennials

Begin leaf raking…ugh!

Plant spring flowering bulbs

Harvest Pumpkins & Gourds

Harvest last bit of fruits

Empty out and clean outdoor flower pots, boxes & urns

Tidy up roses, prune weak or damaged branches

Clear out spent vegetables

Harvest green tomatoes (before 1^st frost) and bring indoors to ripen (put them in a dark room)

Clean garden tools after last use

Sharpen garden tools

Decorate for fall using items from the vegetable garden: pumpkins, gourds, and dried out cornstalks

Visit local farms for fun; i.e. corn mazes, hayrides, and running threw muddy pumpkin patches!! 

Happy Gardening!



Carrie Longacre is a Mommy to a very active toddler, Hannah, and wife to her Landscaper husband, Marc, of http://www.baileylawnandlandscape.com/. Carrie has been gardening ever since she could walk and has a degree in Horticultural Business from Penn State University. Carrie also has a indie biz, named Buggie Sews, where she handmakes and sells (via etsy) ruffled camera strap covers and rose necklaces.

Gardening with Carrie ~ Beautiful Fall Flowers

The Fall is finally here, which usually means time for mums and pumpkins. Well there are so many other colorful flowers that are also blooming this time of year. Unfortunately with the amount of rain that we had this past summer, I’m thinking that the leaves are not going to give us as much of a spectacular show as what we have seen in past years. So to make up for it, there are tons of great perennials and some somewhat frost tolerant annuals that you can plant now, to enjoy their colors instead. Fall is the best time for planting, but make sure you do not plant too late in the season, preferably 3 to 6 weeks before the first frost is estimated to hit. Here’s a list of some of my favorites, that are not only low maintenance but grow great in our local area.

Sedum– ‘Autumn Joy’ is a great, the blooms start out pink then turn burgundy!
Anemone (anemone japonica)- these are white or pink single cupped flowers on long stalks.
Golden Rod– usually considered a weed, their yellow plumes are great in flower vases.
Black Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia)- flowers are shaped like daisies with yellow centers.
Aster– these come in tall and compact varieties, usually white, pink, or purple colored thin daisy-like petals.
Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium fistulosum)- another tall perennial, purple-pink flowers and butterflies will LOVE you if you plant these, Joe Pye Weeds are one of their favorite nectar sources.
Chrysanthemums– make sure you ask for ‘Hardy’ Mums, these come in tons of colors.
Cabbage/Kale– are great for a change of texture to your flower beds, some are two toned, even lace edged. (annual)
Pansies– again, make sure you ask for ‘Hardy’ Pansies, they come in all sorts of colors. (annual)
Burning Bush– this is a great shrub that has fiery red leaves, they almost look like they are on fire.(bush)
Toad Lily (Tricyrtis)- a tall perennial, their blooms are very exotic looking but have cute spots and freckles on them.
Lirope– this is a great border plant that has a purple stalks that rise from it’s center, some varieties are variegated.
Hot Poker Plant (Kniphofia)- cone shaped bright flowers rise out of this grass-like leaved perennial.



Carrie Longacre is a Mommy to a very active toddler, Hannah, and wife to her Landscaper husband, Marc, of Bailey Lawn and Landscape. Carrie has been gardening ever since she could walk and has a degree in Horticultural Business from Penn State University. Carrie also has a indie biz & blog, named Buggie Sews, where she handmakes and sells (via etsy) ruffled camera strap covers and rose necklaces.

Fall Decor for Your Front Door at Hurricane Hill Farm

Hurricane Hill Farm Market Stand has Beautiful Fall Decorations for sale. Pumpkins – All Sizes
Beautiful Mums, Corn Stalks, Straw Bales – Large & Small, Gourds and more all at great prices.

I love decorating for fall. Pumpkins, hay bails, mums. LOVE. IT. ALL!

Our friends at Hurricane Hill Farm are giving one lucky Chester County Mom a chance to win everything you need to jazz up your front door decor..ie, a mum, a hay bail and a medium size pumpkin.

Earlier this week we told you about the fun things to do at Hurricane Hill Farm and want to give one lucky Chester County Family an opportunity to have fun down on the farm! We are giving away a family four pack of tickets to Hurricane Hill Fall Festival, the Fall Festival runs every weekend through the end of October.

The Fall Festival Fun includes: 5-Acre Corn Maze (this year’s theme is “Discover America”) Corn Slide, John Deere Pedal Carts, “Bucking Cow” Train Ride, Farm Animals – Including “America” and her friends, Corn Cannon (first 3 shots are free), Hayrides to the Pumpkin Patch to pick your own pumpkins.

Hurricane Hill Farm704 East Reeceville Road
West Brandywine Township
Coatesville, PA 19320

(click here for directions or more information)

Getting Crafty with Nicole ~ Apple Crafts

Fall is coming and it’s the perfect apple picking season!

One of our favorite family traditions is to go apple picking at a few local orchards each September…I can’t wait! I love the smells, the weather, the simple joys & family memories that we make and, of course, the fresh picked fruit. There’s just something so amazing about creating delicious baked goods with apples that you picked with your own two hands!

While browsing online to find a collection of new recipes and ‘apple activities’ that we can use this year once we go to the orchard, I came across a slew of creative ‘appley’ things that are kid friendly too! Below are some yummy recipes…activities & crafty finds…and more!

Apple Recipes
1. “Apple of Our Eye” Cupcakes
2. Mini Caramel Apples…yes, they’re bite sized!
3. Apple Pie Party Dip with Cinnamon & Sugar Chips
4. Baked Apple Chips

Mommy & Child Apple Print Tote Bags
Apple Print Tote, CraftStylish

Kids Apple Print Drawstring Bag, Alphamom

Apple Crafts
1. Little Apple Yarn Favors, Make and Takes
2. Apple Core Magnets, Kaboose
3. Funny Fall Napkin Rings
4. Apple Paper Crafts using the Martha Stewart Craft punches

I hope you enjoy creating & making & baking with apples this season!
ENJOY!

Recipe for a Refreshing Pumpkin Face Mask

Pumpkin Face Mask
2 tsp canned pureed pumpkin
1/2 tsp honey
1/4 tsp heavy whipping cream
Mix all ingredients and apply to face. Leave on for 10 min and rinse

Why: Pumpkin is rich in vitamin A, which is very healing to the skin and is essential to maintain and repair skin tissue. It also helps reduce lines and wrinkles.
Honey is a humectant. The cream moisturizes and helps flaky skin.

This fun, easy DIY at-home pumpkin mask that was just featured in this month’s issue of Good Housekeeping magazine (October 2011, on-stands now – see below!). Created by beauty guru and parenting expert Erika Katz (www.bondingoverbeauty.com), this mask is full of exfoliating enzymes that brighten the skin so it won’t look too “scary” this fall season.

Think Fall Family Fun NOW with Half Off a Family Four-Pack of Tickets to Cherry Crest Adventure Farm

Enjoy a day in the country at Cherry Crest Adventure Farm for Half Off a Family Four-Pack of Tickets to Cherry Crest Adventure Farm. Your cost just $30! That is a 50% savings!

Click here to purchase this great deal.

Make your way through the amazing five-acre corn maze and over 50 other activities
Learn about farming and agriculture on a real working farm

The Highlights:
This summer, leave the hustle and bustle of suburban life behind and take your family to Cherry Crest Adventure Farm. Your little one won’t believe how much fun you can have on a farm! Cherry Crest has over fifty activities for the whole family, including a giant hay slide, an obstacle course, a singing chicken show, pedal karts, and the famous “Amazing Maize Maze.” There’s even a special playground just for the littlest farmers. Cherry Crest is also a working farm, so amidst all the fun and games is a wealth of learning opportunities. Families can take a wagon tour around the farm, learn about farming and agriculture at the Farm Ed Center, meet the ducks and llamas at the Farm Animal Center, see a real beehive, and watch baby chicks hatch. With so much to see and do, you’ll want to stay all day. So take advantage of this week’s deal from Savvy Source and Cherry Crest, and you’ll find yourself with tractor loads of summer family memories.

The Details about this coupon offer:
-Coupon must be redeemed for use by November 11, 2011.
-Coupon is valid for 1 Family Pack. Family Pack includes 4 tickets for two adults and two children.
-Coupon must be printed out and presented at the box office in order to receive discount.
-Coupon is transferable and can be purchased as a gift. Limit 2 coupons per order.
-Coupon cannot be combined with any other coupons, discounts, or promotion. Coupon has no cash value.

About Cherry Crest Adventure Farm
At Cherry Crest Adventure Farm, visitors of all ages can have a great time while learning a little something about agriculture. Located in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, this working farm and agri-tainment destination is best known for their Amazing Maize Maze, which has been featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America and other national programs, and is listed on Sports Illustrated Kids’ “25 Cool Things To Do This Summer” list.

Cherry Crest Adventure Farm
150 Cherry Hill Rd.
Ronks PA 17572
http://www.cherrycrestfarm.com