Halloween is among my favorite occasions. I always decorate the front entrance to my farm in preparation for all the little ghosts and goblins that go trick or treating on All Hallows' Eve. This year, I added something even more exciting than candy to each of the children’s treat bags.
Enjoy these photos!
Autumn is a beautiful time of year. Around my home, I always display all the pumpkins we grew in the garden. This season, we harvested so many. This grouping of orange pumpkins is on a table outside my Winter House.
As you know, pumpkins are cucurbits, members of the Cucurbitaceae family, which also includes squash, gourds, cucumbers, watermelons, and cantaloupes.
These pumpkins are on the low stone wall outside my home. The name pumpkin comes from the Greek word ‘pepon’ which means “large melon”.
Some are even grown in a beautiful shade of gray.
We lined dozens of pumpkins along the front stone wall also – I love this palette of fall colors.
Some of the outdoor plants also look holiday appropriate. This is Syneilesis – a tough, drought-tolerant, easy-to-grow woodland garden perennial commonly called the shredded umbrella plant because of its narrow, dissected leaves that cascade downward like an umbrella.
These pumpkins are on the steps of my Tenant House, where my daughter and grandchildren stay when they visit. After displaying the pumpkins in the fall, one can scoop out the large hull-less seeds, which are delicious roasted or save them for planting next year.
I am always trying to grow different and unusual specimens along with the more traditional varieties. Look at all the different colors and shapes. Many are cultivated for their witch and goblin-like appearances – the more warts the better.
This is one of my Martha Stewart Wire Spiders with LED Lights – from one of my previous Halloween collections on QVC.
Another past collection item is this 22.5-inch Indoor/Outdoor Halloween Candle. I always try to make our display a little different every year.
And, here is one of two menacing Halloween skeleton horses. This equine friend is 74-inches tall and has sound effects. I like to have this on the front driveway to greet all the children, and the adults who accompany them.
In my guest house cookbook library and studio, we bagged lots of candy for all the little revelers.
I like to group several candies together and place them in cellophane bags. These bags are available online and can be so helpful for gifting an array of small items.
Each bag contains about 10-pieces of candy. Just the perfect amount for our littles trick-or-treaters.
But look, I also added one dollar to each bag. One can also add some pennies – you know, the ones collected in jars and other vessels for that “rainy day.” It’s a great way to get rid of all those pennies, while offering something a bit more valuable than candy.
We tied each bag with black and white baker’s twine.
Every trick-or-treater will love their bag of goodies from Cantitoe Corners.
And, in production line process, as each bag is finished, it is placed into a large plastic bin ready to go out to the front gate.
Here is our basket of treats. Lots of children always comes to visit for Halloween. Any leftovers go to my hardworking staff here at the farm. Here in New York, the weather was mild – a perfect night for Halloween. I hope you enjoyed the night of fun and fright.