AP

Fall means harvest time!

Monday was the first day of Fall, so celebrate your own Fall Harvest. The harvest is a time where people clear out their garden crops and feast on the bounty that nature provides. For me, fall is a time for nesting and inviting others into my home. Just because you’re indoors doesn’t mean you can’t be surrounded by nature. Connect with your community by throwing a party featuring all things local. From the produce to the decor, turn your table into a Farmer’s Market where guests can gather.

Kelley’s Farm Stand

Invite your guests to your farm inspired soiree with an invite packaged in a miniature paper bag. Put the details of your “Farm Stand” event inside of the bag. Cover the front with recycled paper in an autumn print and fold the opening of the bag to create a flap. Hot glue one decorative button to the flap, another other directly below. Wrap twine around the buttons and tie to secure at the bottom.

Shopping List:

Brown Paper Bag, $3.29 for a package of 10, from Michaels (15600 NE 8th St Bellevue, WA 98008; 425.747.1221; Michaels.com)

Buttons, $2.50 for a set of two, from JO-ANN Fabric and Craft Store (2217 NW 57th St.; 206.782.6242; Joann.com

Market Centerpiece

For a rustic centerpiece straight from the market, create produce picket signs to set down the center of the table. Cut a thin strip of window trim into 12” pieces and hot glue  rectangle shaped craft wood to each side. Stamp the names of local fruits and vegetables on the plywood and situate the signs into large mason jars filled with dried beans.

Shopping List:

Mason Jar, $2.99, from Michaels (15600 NE 8th St Bellevue, WA 98008; 425.747.1221; Michaels.com)

Plywood Sheet, $3.18, from Michaels (15600 NE 8th St Bellevue, WA 98008; 425.747.1221; Michaels.com)

Crafty Tabletop

Too keep the decor casual and organic, cover the table with recycled craft paper. Create a place for guests to doodle by drawing a charger directly onto the paper. Trace the outline of the charger then the outline of a plate inside of the charger. Set mason jars filled with markers and crayons on the table for guests to use to personalize their plate.

Shopping List:

Craft Paper, $.36 a yard, from Paper Zone (1911 First Ave S; 206.682.8644; paperzone.com)

Organic Stamp

Decorate paper napkins with the pattern of corn by rolling corn cobs over an ink pad in fall colors transferring the pattern onto the napkins. If you use recycled paper napkins and vegetable ink, you’ll be doing the earth a favor while reflecting the harvest into your tabletop decor.

Shopping List:

Paper Napkins, $3, from Safeway (500 Mercer St; 206.352.4020; safeway.com)

Soy Joy

While Farmer’s Markets are known for the fresh produce they offer, many local farms make homemade soaps, candles, and lotions as well. For a fun activity without a lot of fuss, let guests make their own candles with a Soy Candlemaking Kit. Soy based candles do not release CO2, come from a renewable source, and burn 50% longer than paraffin. By offering this environmentally friendly activity you’ll give back to the environment while offering guests a gift that will last through the season.

Shopping List:

Soy Wax Kit, $39.99, from Michaels (15600 NE 8th St Bellevue, WA 98008; 425.747.1221; Michaels.com)

Tasty Takeaway

A fall harvest is all about harvesting the bounty, so send your guests with baskets full of home grown produce. Use a recipe of your favorite fall soup as a tag and include the vegetables needed in the basket. If you don’t have your own vegetable garden, consider joining a Community Supported Agriculture program. In doing so, you invest in a local farm and receive the fruits of their labor. Full Circle Farm offers CSA programs for families of all sizes and budgets with pickup locations throughout the city.

Full Circle Farms Beet Gazpacho

2 Lb. golden beets, steamed, liquid reserved

1/2 Lb. cucumbers, peeled and seeded

7 oz. walla-walla onion

6 garlic cloves

3 oz. French bread

1 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 tsp cumin

sea salt

Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Shopping List:

Basket, $8.99, from Metropolitan Market (1908 Queen Anne Ave N; 206.284.2530; metropolitan-market.com)

Full Circle Farms Produce, $30 for a small box, from Full Circle Farms (PO Box 608; Carnation, WA; 98014; 425.333.4677; fullcirclefarm.comO