The definition of tradition, according to dictionary.com is “the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, esp. by word of mouth or by practice: a continuing pattern of culture beliefs or practices.” At this holiday time of year, there are a lot of traditions many of us observe: putting up a tree, decorating the house and yards, and baking cookies.

Yet what I always find refreshing and inspiring is that sometimes the simplest acts, things you may do as a family without thinking much about them, are considered a tradition with children.  While I think of traditions on a bigger scale – cutting down the tree together, going to see Santa—my children often remind me of the little things that mean so much to them and in their minds are traditions in our family.

For example, each Christmas Eve we go to my mom’s house for dinner to start the holiday celebration. Before we leave, the kids get new PJs as gifts to wear for Christmas morning. What started out as something small is now a tradition my children look forward to each December 24.

Cinnamon buns for Christmas breakfast are also custom that’s become a tradition. Once I was going to do something else – maybe make a quiche or something healthier –and my children complained – “It’s tradition Mom!”

At this time of year when we try to get so many things done in such a short amount of time, take some time to think about some little things that may not seem like traditions but really have become a tradition in your family. They don’t have to be big or cost anything, but they do mean a lot, probably to you too. And if you can’t think of a tradition, start a new one. Start small, introduce a Christmas cookie baking day, sing some carols at night, serve a special pasta or bread on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, or make reindeer food. You may be surprised at how much fun a tradition can be.

Remember, sometimes it’s the small things that make the best memories.

Happy Holidays.

What are your holiday traditions? Share them with us here.
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I live in a rural area of New Jersey and most of the time, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. However there are some things about living the country life that I could do without. Most of these things deal with the animals that live around us, among us, and as pets.

We have pets – dog, cats, hamster, and fish. We had rabbits until the bear got them. Our neighbors have chickens, goats, ducks and rabbits. My daughter recently found one of the rabbits after a hawk got it.

This weekend one of our pet hamsters died. I  had to dig a hole in the ground and bury it. We had a complete ceremony. He’s buried next to a hermit crab.

Our dog – part lab part mutt – is a great dog but his hunter instincts are hard to ignore. He’s killed a groundhog in front of us, and today he found one of our neighbor’s chickens. Luckily for the chicken, we found it and brought it back to its pen.

Yes, I love the fact that we only have two close neighbors, that my children have the opportunity to experience farm animals, garden, see the stars at night, and more …but sometimes the idea of not having to deal with dead animals has me longing for sidewalks and bright lights ☺!

Do you ave any stories to share about the “joys” of living in the country or city? Share them here.

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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Especially if you live in the Dakotas or go shopping. I think Santa is arriving in the malls around here very soon – what happened to Thanksgiving!?

While this holiday season may not be as joyful as others, November and Thanksgiving really are the best times to remind ourselves that there are many things we all should be thankful for.

As you get ready to celebrate the holidays this season, why not try a few things that may help you and your family keep an optimistic view on how good things really are.

Here are a few ideas on how to do this:

Start a Thankful Box
Decorate a shoe box and add a slit to its top. Every night or once a week, have everyone in the family write something he or she is thankful for on a small piece of paper. Then place the note in the special box and share what’s in the box on Thanksgiving.

Volunteer at a Food Shelter
This is especially good for children who sometimes forget how fortunate they are. Help serve or cook a meal or participate in a food drive. There are many ways we all can lend a hand without it costing us much more than time, and it may help keep things in perspective.

Thankful Journal
Start a journal of what you are thankful for each and every day. Add writing this thankful thought to your morning or evening routine and then read over them when you’re feeling a bit stressed about the day in and day out.

Articles and Quotes
When you see a quote or article that reminds you to be thankful, cut it out and hang it up where you can read it throughout the day.

Here are few quotes from the Farmers’ Almanac that may work well:

The best way to predict the future is to help create it.

A chicken doesn’t stop scratching just because worms are scarce.

Success is a journey, not a destination.

Every minute you are angry, you lose 60 seconds of happiness.

Happy November.

Got any other suggestions? Share them here.

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I like snow–But in October?

Just three days ago, we were carving pumpkins for Halloween. Yesterday, my daughter made a snowman on our deck! Yes, Virginia it snowed in NJ on October 28, 2008. We got about 4.5 inches of snow in our backyard –and my sister who lives about 20 minutes away got almost a foot.

It was wet, it was heavy and caused a lot of damage to the poor trees and power lines. And today with temperatures not predicted to go over 45, it’s going to stay around for a little. Looks like the Farmers’ Almanac “chilling Halloween forecast” is right on the mark.

Might have to change our Halloween costumes from Olympic swimmer to Olympic skier.

Any snow in your backyard? Tell us about it.

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Well we did it! On Saturday evening, we hitched our gas-powered wagon and headed to a field of horrors - or more well-known - a haunted hay ride.

It was a cold, but clear night and we dressed in layers - well all of us except the few teenagers who don’t seem to realize that sweatshirts and shorts may not be the most warmest outfit for an October evening

The night was a picture-perfect fall evening, complete with a big moon in the horizon. We got on the hay-filled wagon, and chose our seats accordingly — if you like to be grabbed and really scared, sit on the outside. I chose a seat in the middle - but that didn’t stop me from jumping and screaming a few times.

We had gone on this “haunted ride” a few years ago, but the scare bar had been raised and the creativity put forth by some local farmers was outstanding. This year we not only were scared by the usual Halloween Suspects – Freddy Kruger, Jason, and many evil-looking, chainsaw holding actors, but we also had to walk through the woods among some scary no good doers who popped out at us, and then make our way through a very dark and scary corn field!

I must admit the walk-through part of the ride was the scariest. You never knew when someone was going to pop out and grab you.

My hats are off to the Grochowicz family who own the farm and have used Halloween as a way to generate more income.

Have you been to any haunted farms yet? If you haven’t you should - it’s a great family fun night out - depending of course on the age of your family members and how easily scared you are.

Happy Halloween!

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Each year I take Columbus Day off to spend time with my two children doing something fall/Halloween oriented. Yesterday we visited two local farms - one that specialized in pumpkins and the other apples.

Today many local farms turn their corn fields into mazes or haunted hay rides or pumpkin patches– it’s a great way for the farms to earn some extra income during the time of year when many farmers, at least in the northern half of the country, are winding down. The farm we visited in Warren County NJ –Donaldson’s Farm -actually cut their corn maze to look like a big sailing ship from the days of Columbus. Now we were on the ground, among the corn stalks and corn, so we couldn’t really see the shape, but we knew from pictures and the map that there was a lot of creativity that went into the making of this maze. Fortunately my 7 year-old niece who was reading the map, guided us through the maze with ease.

After the pumpkin fun, which also included pony rides and a hay ride to a pumpkin patch, we went apple picking at Mackeys Orchards - also in Warren County NJ . First we boarded a hayride that took us up a mountain to the orchard. Then we gathered our bags and started looking for the best picks on many different trees. The view was spectacular, the weather decent, the leaves crisp colors, and the apple delicious.

After you visit such picturesque farms, you often find yourself romanticizing about being a farmer - living on and off the land - but then I also remind myself and others - how much work goes into these farms each and every day. Thank goodness there are still people around who want to be farmers.

If you haven’t had a chance yet to visit a local farm, I highly recommend it. There’s nothing better than fresh apple cider or a recently picked apple. And if you’re lucky, you may also be able to indulge in another seasonal favorite of ours– cider donuts. What a treat.

Next on our list - a haunted hayride at another farm near by.

P.S. Here’s a tip the woman at the apple farm shared with me — to keep your apples fresh and for a long time, she recommends placing them in your refrigerator crisper drawer with a small cup of water, covered with a piece of plastic wrap with a few holes poked in it. You check for  and remove bad/rotten apples each day as they will cause more to rot, but she believes that putting this cup of water in with your apples will keep them fresh for several months!

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Over the years there have been certain slogans that stand out in our memory and almost become part of our every day language. Burger King’s “have it your way” campaign is one of those catchy ones that really worked well. You knew after watching those commercials that you could go in and order a burger “your way” even though it was “fast food.”

Well - if you could have it your way — the Farmers’ Almanac that is — how would you like it? Would you order more weather, hold the astronomy, extra recipes? Is there something you really like about the print edition? Or is there something you think we’ve missed?

At this time of the year, we start thinking about the 2010 edition. Before we start assigning stories, I thought I’d ask you –our web visitors - if you had any suggestions on how we could make the Farmers’ Almanac Your Way.

To quote another very famous and popular ad slogan (but change it slightly) GOT IDEAS?

I’d really appreciate your feedback regarding the print edition of the Farmers’ Almanac. Do you like the articles? What would you like us to add or take out? What about hints - should we add more green or frugal tips?

Share your ideas here or feel free to e-mail direct at sduncan@farmersalmanac.com. This is your Farmers’ Almanac and your chance to help us make it even more “your way.”

Thanks!

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I hav recently been asked if we had any suggestions for homemade, more natural cleaning products for the house. Here ae a few suggestions form past Farmers’ Almanacs:

Vinegar and water make a great window cleaner

Borax and water make an effective all-purpose cleaner

Baking soda is an earth-friendly, inexpensive way to remove baked-on, burned-on foods in pots and pans, and when mixed with vinegar acts as a super drain cleaner.

What’s your favorite alternative cleaner?

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Ever wonder why old barns are usually red in color? Red is (or, perhaps, was) a popular color for barns due not to its color shade but for its usefulness.

Many years ago, choices for paints, sealers and other building materials did not exist. Farmers had to be resourceful in finding or making a paint that would protect and seal the wood on their barns. Hundreds of years ago, many farmers would seal their barns with linseed oil, which is an orange-colored oil derived from the seeds of the flax plant. To this oil, they would add a variety of things, most often milk and lime, but also ferrous oxide, or rust. Rust was plentiful on farms and because it killed fungi and mosses that might grow on barns, was very effective as a sealant. It turned the mixture red in color.

When paint became more available, many people chose red paint for their barns in honor of tradition.

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