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Learning through the Lens of Food: Apples

Food connects us. It’s an integral part of our cultural identity and is often prepared with the idea of sharing, giving, and enjoying together. Nothing indicates the beginning of autumn and the fall harvest in Western Massachusetts like the crisp bite of a local apple picked right off the tree, or the sweet taste of a freshly baked apple pie. Traditional recipes, the scenic orchard landscapes, and the representation of apple-picking in literature and art remind us of how the apple has become a rich part of our cultural heritage.

Category: Food, Hilltown Families, Poetry, Supplement, Video Tags: Apples, Food Culture, Learning Ahead Seasons Sept Oct, Learning Ahead Week 3

PYO Apples

Participate in the tradition of apple-picking and support local agriculture! Check out these orchards and farms in Western Massachusetts for Pick Your Own Apples!

Category: Food, Hilltown Families, Suggested Activity, Supplement Tags: Apples, Food Culture, Learning Ahead Seasons Sept Oct, Learning Ahead Week 3, PYO Farms

Poetry of William Cullen Bryant: The Planting of the Apple-Tree

Poetry of William Cullen Bryant “The Planting of the Apple-Tree” Did you know that William Cullen Bryant, a 19th century poet (and Schoolhouse Poet like John Greenleaf Whittier) planted over 800 apple trees on his farm property? While the orchard is no longer active, you can still visit the poet’s homestead in Cummington, MA. A property of The Trustees, The William Cullen Bryant Homestead is open for house tours and other activities… Read More

Category: Hilltown Families, Poetry, Supplement Tags: Apples, Food Culture, Learning Ahead Seasons Sept Oct, Learning Ahead Week 3, Poetry, William Cullen Bryant

Culinary & Family History Through the Apple Pie

What family recipes do you still make that have been passed down generation after generation? Can you recall and share the history of their origin with family and friends?