Park Slope Farmers Market. Photo courtesy of Nicole Reed.

How does fresh chutney, milled cider, farm-raised duck and locally grown kale sound to you this winter? Stop drooling and start marking your calendar for the grand “reopening” of the Park Slope Farmers Market on Sunday, January 8th.

In the past, the market went indoors for the winter—sometimes leading to bewildered tracks in the snow as people sought their weekly grocery stop. Community Markets, the team behind the market, announces that devotees will find the Park Slope Farmers Market in its outdoor home all year long. After a brief holiday hiatus, the market will resume its weekly schedule on Sunday, January 8th, 2012.

The vendors at the 2012 Park Slope Winter Farmers Market include: Fork and Glass, American Pride Seafood, Bombay Emerald Chutney Company, Bread Alone, Brooklyn Cured, Dr. Pickle, Breezy Hill Orchard and Cider Mill, Feather Ridge Farm, Hudson Valley Duck Farm, Jersey Farm Produce, Migliorelli Farm, Mortgage Apple Cakes, The Pastures, Raaka Chocolate, Tierra Farm, YisRoyal (vegan cookie dough), Flour City Pasta, and Calcutta Kitchens. Baked goods from Made by Molly will return in March.

Hector Perez of Jersey Farm Produce is cultivating crops in 7,000 square feet of heated greenhouses. He’ll soon harvest vitamin-rich leafy greens and other vegetables in the chill of winter. “The people of Park Slope really support farmers,” said Perez, “Our greenhouse produce is looking good and we’re looking forward to the winter market.”

Details:
Sundays from 11am-4:30pm
Fifth Avenue, at Fourth Street, in front of P.S. 51, Park Slope, Brooklyn
In addition to the items from local food crafters, shoppers will find fresh produce as a result of greenhouse growing and the time-honored skill of root cellaring.

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Gingerbread is a term used for a spiced molasses confection that ranges from a soft cake to a crisp, flat cookie. Sometimes it’s light, sometimes dark. Sometimes it’s sweet, sometimes spicy. It’s always delicious and is most fun when made into gingerbread men or their candy-covered, usually Victorian-inspired homes.

Making gingerbread men is pretty straight forward: buy a cookie cutter, cut dough, bake, decorate. Gingerbread houses, on the other hand, are a bit more involved. It’s easiest to buy a kit but, if you want to make your own, you can keep it simple by using a downloadable template or make your own from plan-to-finish.

However you go—store bought, homemade or something in between—here’s a roundup of resources to help you make a fab gingerbread house for your Christmas holiday!

Gingerbread Dough & Royal Icing Recipes
* Low-fat gingerbread perfect for making men or a house
* How to Make a Gingerbread House, complete with dough and royal icing recipes, on Simply Recipes
* Gingerbread House recipe, complete with royal icing, from the Food Network
* How to Make a Gingerbread House, complete with dough and royal icing recipes, from King Arthur Flour
* Gingerbread House recipe, complete with royal icing, from Bon Appetit

Gingerbread House Patterns
* All but the low-fat recipe above come with templates for traditional looking gingerbread houses; the ones from Simply Recipes and King Arthur Flour are my favorites
* This is a great list of free, downloadable gingerbread house patterns with a traditional look
* For the last couple of years, the brilliant minds behind Hometta, a company that brings a modern and eco point-of-view to the stock housing market, have created a free, downloadable gingerbread house plan for a modern gingerbread house. Beautiful!
* No list of patterns would be complete without Martha’s sweet, simple Swedish Gingerbread House

Pre-Baked Kits
* Wilton, makers of baking supplies, offer a Pre-Baked Gingerbread House Kit (also available in other sizes)
* Williams-Sonoma’s Winter Wonderland Gingerbread House Kit
* At Sur La Table you can choose between a Gingerbread Manor or Chalet

Pre-Built Kits
* This Dancing Deer gingerbread house comes assembled, but without any colorful candy decoration—they leave that last bit of detail fun for you and kiddo.
* If all you want to do is unwrap, this Gingerbread House from Red Envelope is what you need. Done and done.

More Inspiration
* These image search results for Gingerbread House Plan has some great inspiration
* Or if you want to go modern, check out these image results for modern gingerbread house
* This how-to (sans template) for making a mid-century modern gingerbread house is pretty cool, too
* If this Cake Study House from last year doesn’t inspire some creative thought, I don’t know what will!
* A short video How to Make a Gingerbread House with Kids

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Kids change the way we cook, but they don’t have to change how well we eat. Read more of Stacie’s family-friendly recipes and tips at One Hungry Mama.

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Here is a startling statistic from USA Today: The number of Americans attending food pantries and soup kitchens has increased by 46% over the last five years. Thanksgiving is one the occasions when those soup kitchens and food pantries get inundated with large numbers of people wanting a special meal.  If you want to volunteer with your children, there are tasks you can do to help like stacking food, setting tables, cleaning up, dropping food off or picking donations up. If one of the ones on our list below don’t work for you, try your local one to see what their needs and requirements are. *****We also have a list of dedicated family volunteer opportunities for the holidays here.

Where to volunteer:

Food Pantry Lists

Brooklyn.com created an excellent list of Brooklyn food pantries here.

Here is another helpful list that has food pantries including those for seniors.
God’s Love We Deliver
God’s Love We Deliver needs people with vehicles to help make thanksgiving deliveries in Brooklyn. God’s Love cooks and delivers special holiday meals to clients with serious illnesses and their families on Thanksgiving and Christmas. If anyone is interested, or would like more info, click here.

Neighbors Together Soup Kitchen
Neighbors Together Soup Kitchen at 2094 Fulton Street needs volunteers to help prepare and serve lunches and dinners. Contact them at 718-498-7256 or see their info here.

Park Slope Christian Help
This soup kitchen, food pantry and clothing location just suffered a fire. Starting today, they are taking names of volunteers for Thanksgiving.  Please call them at 718-237-2962 or see their info here. ough its soup kitchen and clothing drive.

St. John’s Bread and Life’s Soup Kitchen
They need volunteers for Thanksgiving but also for packing up toys and food for 1,200 families on Dec. 10th and 11th from 9-3 pm. For the Dec. dats, the children must be ages 12 years and up because they will have around 400 volunteers. They do need help with donations too (food, hygiene products, toys and clothing.  To volunteer call them at 718-574-0058 or see their website here.

Greenpoint Reformed Church
The GRC needs volunteers year round daily but especially needs volunteers on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday of this week to help with the Thanksgiving preparations.  You don’t need to call ahead to volunteer- just show up and they will have enough work for you! Their full information is here.

Church of the Ascension
The soup kitchen needs help on Thanksgiving Day to set up for the meal. They are in Williamsburg. Volunteers can call 718-389-3831 or find more info  here.

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One of my favorite gifts for new parents used to be the delivery of homemade meals from Brooklyn-based Susie’s Supper Club. They stopped delivery to Brooklyn and NYC to make their delish dishes accessible to the rest of the country with frozen versions of their kid-friendly best sellers.  One of my absolute favorite recipes of theirs, Spinach Squares, and one of their best sellers, will be available frozen and in their new cookbook.

I asked if we could publish Susie’s Spinach Squares recipe here so that we could all make it. Susie agreed, and here it is. I promise you, this is the best way to get spinach into your kids, not hiding it in brownies.

Spinach Squares
Serves 6–8

An SSC favorite, these delicious squares are nutrient packed: spinach is a good source of protein, calcium, fiber, iron, niacin, zinc, and vitamins A, C, K, and B6. Nevertheless, kids love these treats! Two cheeses complement the spinach perfectly, so the issue of  “eating your vegetables” may never come up.

2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) whole milk
1 cup (5 oz/155 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 lb (500 g) Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lb (500 g) chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1⁄4 cup (1 oz/30 g) grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) rimmed baking sheet or baking dish with parchment paper. Pour the melted butter into the prepared pan and spread to coat evenly.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until well blended. Whisk in the milk, flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the Cheddar and spinach and stir until combined. Pour the spinach mixture into the prepared pan and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the top.

Bake until the top is lightly browned and the juices are bubbling, 30–40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool until just warm to the touch. Cut into 2-inch (5-cm) squares and serve.

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Last year I wrote about my triumph in finding the perfect multivitamin for my children. Yes, some go on a quest to find themselves, but my 3 year quest was to find the ideal kid’s vitamin! SmartyPants gummy is an all-in-one vitamin that has BOTH the Omega-3s and 100% of recommended daily vitamins. Forget that sticky fish oil with that pungent after-taste. Ditch that Disneyfied vitamin dripping in high fructose corn syrup. SmartyPants gummies are delicious gumdrops that are good tasting and good for your kids (and I promise you, they will ask for more!)

After I wrote about SmartyPants, so many of you tried the vitamins (and kept buying!), that SmartyPants knows you are some of their most loyal customers. So, great news for us: they contacted me yesterday to give us all a 50% off discount on the Children’s Multivitamins. Woo hoo! Order your 3 month supply now- or, if you are new to the brand, this is a perfect opportunity to try them out.

The code is ACGB50 for 50% off. There is a limit in the amount for the discount (as with all good things): limit 3 single bottles or 1 three pack per customer.

For more info on SmartyPants Vitamins or to buy some, you can go here.

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There is so much going on this weekend we almost don’t know where to begin! Since we have to start somewhere, let’s begin with the major events – Atlantic Antic Street Festival, Chile Pepper Fiesta and The Ragamuffin Parade are some of annual heavy hitters in Brooklyn and luckily the Parade and Antic are on different days so you can tackle both of them. This weekend is a thrilling one for budding artists: the Children’s Museum Of The Arts is having their Grand Opening Party in their brand-spanking new space on Charleston Street. At this free event your little one can create crafts and take in a gallery of NYC childrens’ art work. Doing some fall cleaning? Get rid of your kids old clothes and exchange them for some new ones at the Baby and Kids Clothing Swap at ArtsCetera. Clothes not worth swapping? Take them into one of the green markets for Textile Recycling. For even more event listings, please refer to our events calendar.

Friday, September 30^th from 9:00am  – 5:00pm
Inked Up: Printmakers and the Parks
This exciting exhibition highlights 30 artists from the Art Students League. On display will be interesting prints like bridges, skylines and creatures that have been designed using linoleum blocks, metal plates, and stone slabs. Details: Arsenal Gallery, Arsenal Building, 830 Fifth Avenue, Third Floor, Central Park at 64th Street, Manhattan. For additional information, please click here.

Friday, September 30^th from 11:00am-1:00pm
High Holiday Services for Kids
A child-friendly event that introduces children to Judaism as it teaches them about its traditions. This includes prayers, games and sweets. All tickets are $15 each. Details: Chelsea Pearl 121 West 19th Street, Manhattan. For additional information, please click here.

Friday, September, 30^th at 11:00am and 2:00pm
What Can You Do With a Cardboard Box?
This special event will allow children and their parents to create projects from donated cardboard provided by Pratt Industries. Kids can create rocket ships, sailboats, houses, furniture, or even a robot from recycled paper. They can also contribute to a group art project to create a beautiful masterpiece. Details: Staten Island Children’s Museum, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301. On the grounds of Snug Harbor Cultural Center. For additional information, please click here.

Friday, September 30^th, Saturday, October 1^st, Sunday, October 2^nd from 11:30am-7:00pm
HIP play
Still Hip has daily playgroups in their fun playspace. Participants are simply asked to help set up and clean up the space, but there will always be someone in the store to help. Drop-ins for $3 (or 10 for $25) will always be welcome as long as there is space. Cost for 20 week session: Details: 283 Grand Avenue, Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. For additional information, please click here.

Friday, September 30^th at 4:00pm
Families love Niko and every Friday he will be playing NikosKids originals as well as a few folk standards. There is also a suggested donation of $10 for this performance. Details: Couleur Café, 435 7th Avenue, between 14th & 15th Street, Brooklyn. For additional information, please click here.

Friday, September 30^th from 4:00-5:30pm
Volleyball Skills Workshop for Children at Brooklyn Bridge Park
This week kids cam come to Brooklyn Bridge Park to learn basic volleyball skills. In this free workshop kids will learn the fundamentals of volleyball, as well as serving, spiking, and diving. Details: Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6 (in Brooklyn Bridge Park), Brooklyn. For additional information, please click here.

Saturday, October 1^st from 7:00am -9:00am
Coffee Bark
At this monthly event, the Fellowship in the Interest of Dogs and their Owners (FIDO) invites dog owners to Prospect Park for a morning of free goodies for the dogs and their owners. There is also information about off-leash activities and issues. This event is rain or shine. Details: Picnic House (in Prospect Park) West Drive and Third Street, Brooklyn. For additional information, please click here.

Saturday, October 1^st from 8:00am-3:00pm
Textile Recycling at Greenmarkets
Do you have any old clothes that you have been meaning to donate or giveaway? GrowNYC has the perfect way for you to get ride of your old stuff by donating your old clothing, shoes, towels, sheets, scarves, hats, bags and belts for reuse or recycling. Details: You can recycle at Prospect Park Greenmarket (in Grand Army Plaza) Northwest corner of Prospect Park, Brooklyn or Fort Greene Park or McCarren Park. For additional information, please click here.

Saturday, October 1^st and Sunday, October 2^nd from 8:00am- 10:00pm
The DeKalb Market
Housed in a collection of salvaged shipping containers, the DeKalb Market opened last week bringing together Brooklyn’s creative entrepreneurs. Located on a old containers and barren land, they are creating a new green space for downtown Brooklyn by housing vendors in 22 re-purposed shipping containers. Expect to find food vendors that range from soul food to vegan, boutique vendors like our favorites Rasany and Hank & JoJo, along with artists and makers of all kinds. The space will also be used for events and performances, making this market a potential hub day and night.  Details: The Dekalb Market at 332 Flatbush Avenue- at Willoughby. The market is open 7 days a week. The Flatbush frontage has the Dekalb Avenue subway entrance to the W and Q trains and the Fulton Mall has the Hoyt Street entrance to the 2 and 3 trains. For additional information, please click here.

Saturday, October 1^st at 8:30am
9th Annual Miles for Midwives Celebration
For many women, midwives are an important part of the birthing process but they aren’t always supported or even understood in our health care system. To help support midwives, raise awareness and raise funds for this cause, the NYC Chapter of American College of Nurse Midwives & Choices in Childbirth is holding the 9th Annual Miles for Midwives – a 5K Run/Walk and Birth & Wellness Fair. This run/fair is designed to bring runners, families and midwifery supporters to this fun community day. Additionally, proceeds from this event will benefit the work of ACNM and CIC to improve maternity care.
Details:
Runner/Walker Check-in begins: 8:30 am
5K Fun-Run Begins: 10:00am
Location: Prospect Park, Bartel-Pritchard Square, 15th Street and Prospect Park West Brooklyn, NY.

Saturday, October 1^st from 9:00am – 4:00pm and Sunday, October 2^nd from 9:00am to noon
Baby and Kids Clothing Swap
Do you have tons of baby items that your kids have out grown? The best way to score new goods and pass along your old items is through swapping. This swap, hosted by ArtsCetera, will take gently worn baby and kidsʼ clothing from birth to 6 years old. All unclaimed items will be donated to local community groups that support at-risk and homeless families in Brooklyn, including St Maryʼs Episcopal Church in Bedford Stuyvesant. This event has a suggested entry fee of $10 per family with a grocery bag worth of clothes. Details: ArtsCetera Studio * 212 Smith Street between Baltic & Butler * Cobble Hill. For additional information, please click here.

Saturday, October 1^st from 9:00am – 5:00pm
Smorgasburg
Newcomer to the Brooklyn Flea group- this outdoor market has 100 + food vendors- packaged, cooked, raw and more as well as farmers, kitchenwares, a kids activities area by Moomah, chef demos and more. This outdoor market is open rain or shine. Details: 27 N 6th Street, Brooklyn. For additional information, please click here.

Saturday, October 1^st and Sunday, October 2^nd from 10:00am – 5:00pm
Fort Greene (Saturday) and Williamsburg (Sunday)
The Brooklyn Flea
One of our favorite marketplaces, the Brooklyn Flea is a great place to check out hundreds of unique and handmade vendors featuring vintage clothing, collectibles, antiques, jewelry, art, crafts and food. This outdoor market is open rain or shine.

Fort Greene
Saturday
176 Lafayette Ave. (btw. Clermont + Vanderbilt Ave.)

Williamsburg
Sunday
East River Waterfront (btw. North 6 + 7 St.)

Saturday, October 1^st and Sunday, October 2^nd from 10:00am – 6:00pm
Northside Market
Check out the latest market to hit Williamsburg. Featuring artisanal and handmade goods, crafts, local musical acts and a DJ, Northside Market is an innovative new space to check out local and international goods. The pop-up market also features a cool artist gallery and even has such 25-30 food vendors such as Cantina Royal, Dub Pies, Robicelli’s (Cupcakes), Lots O’ Lobstah, and Cookie Road. We really love that this 4,100 square foot indoor space is air-conditioned and that every week throughout the summer you can expect to find something new like candy walls or mini golf. Check their twitter account (@NorthsideMkt) for up-to-the minute details! There is also a ramp for easy stroller access. Details: Northside Market, 135 Kent (corner of Kent Avenue and North 6th Street). To learn more, please click here.

Saturday, October 1^st and Sunday, October 2^nd at 10:00am
The Haunted Pumpkin Garden at The New York Botanical Garden
To kick-off this festive month go check out cool sculptures of spooky scarecrows, spiders, snakes, and more designed at Everett Children’s Adventure Garden. Kids can also play inside a Pumpkin House, put on a scary show in the Pumpkin Puppet theater, and look for wiggly worms under a log. This week is also Creepy Creatures Weekend with Ugh! Bugs! on Saturday where kids can get up close to insects such as Madagascar hissing cockroaches, the emperor scorpion, the pink-toe tarantula, crickets, millipedes, and more. On Sunday, its Gone Batty where kids can come face-to-face with a variety of bats, including the largest bat in the world. Details: New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd, the Bronx. For additional information, please click here.

Saturday, October 1^st from 10:00am-11:30am
Learn to Compost in the City
Composting is an excellent way to break down waste. This free course at the High Line will teach you how to cut down on household waste with urban composting. Gardeners will also teach the basics, and review options for composting in a dense, urban environment. All participants will take home a worm composting bin. Details: 14th Street Passage (in The High Line), Manhattan. For additional information, please click here.

Saturday, October 1^st and Sunday, October 2^nd from 10:00am – 6:00pm
Children’s Museum Of The Arts Grand Opening Party
The Children’s Museum of the Arts is now in their new location and they are throwing a big grand opening park with art projects in their art studios, the chance to check out their media lab, sound booth, WEE Studio and view their new gallery. Details: Children’s Museum of the Arts 103 Charlton Street, Manhattan. Click here for more information.

Saturday, October 1^st at 11:00am
Storytime for Babies and Toddlers
Diane Kredsenor presents Ollie & Moon
Each Saturday, Greenlight hosts a fun story time with popular authors. This week, Emmy Award–winning artist Diane Kredensor is reading from her debut picture book Ollie & Moon. The story follows the tale of two zany cats that takes them to Paris. The story then follows their journey through a fromagerie, dancing on the métro, and walking through a park. Details: Greenlight Bookstore 686 Fulton Street, Brooklyn. For additional information, please click here.

Saturday, October 1^st at 11:00am
The Ragamuffin Parade
Growing up in Bay Ridge, the Ragamuffin Parade was an incredible unique experience. I remember dressing up and loving the festivities as the crowd cheered us on as we marched down Third Avenue. This year marks the 45^th anniversary of the parade that organizers tout as a “safe alternative to trick or treating” where thousands of kids dress up and parade down Third Avenue between 76^th street to 92^nd street. At the end of the parade there is  a contest for the best costume, which in the past has included a bike for six kids. This Bay Ridge tradition is one not to missed and it is truly one of the best fall festivities in NYC!
Details:
Registration begins at 11:00am at Holy Angels Academy/OLA, 74th Street off 3rd Avenue.
Judging starts at 11:30am
The parade will collect 76th Street between 3rd and 4th Avenues and 3rd and Ridge Blvd. at 12:30pm.
The parade steps off at 1:00pm and will travel a route from 76th to 92nd Streets along Third Avenue.
For further information about the event, contact parade organizer Chip Cafiero at (917) 882-5066.

Saturday, October 1^st from 11:00am – 1:00pm RESCHEDULED DUE TO RAIN PREDICTION- WILL BE ON OCT. 8TH INSTEAD
Annual Pumpkin Day
Pumpkin season is back and this week kids can come and pick their own pumpkin, decorate it and them take home. This event also includes arts/crafts and live music. Details: McCarren Park, Lawn between Lorimer/Bedford/Driggs. For additional information, please click here.

Saturday, October 1^st at 11:00am and 2:00pm
Story Pirates
Using stories submitted by children, the Story Pirates create funny sketches and mini-musicals in this performance.  Tickets are $20 for adults and $13 for children. Details: Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, at 95th St. Tickets at 212-864-5400 or online at symphonyspace.org.

Saturday, October 1^st from 11:00am -6:00pm
19th Annual Chile Pepper Fiesta
This fun fall tradition, featuring eight bands such as Lost Bayou Ramblers with Violent Femmes’ Gordon Gano, The Defibulators, Chico Mann, Dominic James & The Rhythm Machine, Mariachi Tapatio, Terry Dame & Electric Junkyard Gamelan, Dogcat, Tom Swafford. At this event you can also sample treats from chocolatiers, pick peppers and enjoy sizzling salsas, pickles, kimchee, and other specialties. This event is $15 for adults, $10 for Seniors (65 and over), $10 for kids 12 and up and $10 for students with valid ID. Details: Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 900 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn. For additional information, please click here.

Saturday, October 1^st and Sunday, October 2^nd from 12:00pm to 2:00pm, or from 12:00pm to 6:00 pm
Weekend Family Programs with the Brooklyn Bridge Park Playground Associates
The Brooklyn Bridge Park is hosting a fun series with educational based activities. Themes vary from week-to-week but may include recycling, rocks, weather, park collages, boats, and more. Details: Brooklyn Bridge Park: Main Street. For additional information, please click here.

Saturday, October 1^nd at 1:00 pm
Moona Luna
The wonderful bilingual kid’s band Moona Luna brings their songs that you can’t help but dance to!  Details: Brooklyn Public Library, Central Library, Dweck Center 10 Grand Army Plaza. For additional information, please click here.

Saturday, October 1^nd from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Czech Street Festival
Get down to dulcimers at this annual celebration of Czech independence. Details: 73rd St (between 1st and 2nd Aves) Manhattan. For additional information, please click here.

Saturday, October 1^nd at 6:45 pm
Music in the Garden
Join the North American Hindu Temple Society Performers as they perform music and dance from India. Details: Queens Botanical Garden, Oct 01 6:45pm.  43-50 Main St (at Dahlia Ave). For additional information, please click here.

Saturday, October 1^st from 3:00 pm–5:00 pm
Suzie Vinnick at 3pm and John Hammond at 4:00pm
Mad. Sq. Music: Studio Series
One of our favorite concert series is back this back this weekend. This free series, set against Madison Square Park, features Grammy winner John Hammond and blues singer Suzie Vinnick. Details: Madison Square Park Southern End (in Madison Square Park), Manhattan. For additional information, please click here.

Saturday, October 1^st from 5:30 pm–10:00 pm
Target First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum
This month it’s a celebration of Latino Heritage.  This one is going to be hot, hot, hot.  The ABAKUÁ Afro-Latin Dance Company will perform, there will be a salsa dance party with free lessons, then DJ Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love will be spinning Latin, Afro-beat, and progressive hip-hop to finish out the night. Details: Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway. For additional information, please click here.

Sunday, October 2, from 8:30am – 5:00pm
38th Annual Third Avenue Festival
After checking out the Ragamuffin parade be sure to make your way to the Third Avenue Festival in Bay Ridge. This is a great alternative to the Atlantic Antic where you and your family can enjoy delicious local food, music, rides, games, vendors, and fun for all. Also,the festival will feature a “green” theme, with environmentally-friendly businesses, services and products. Details: Third Avenue from 65th to 101st Streets in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. For additional information, please click here.

Sunday, October 2^nd from 10:00am -4:00pm (Various Classes)
NYC Wine & Food Festival: Kids Get Cooking
This festival is not only for adults and this week you can check out their Kids Get Cooking classes. Through this class they will learn from chefs how to make pancakes, make desserts, roll meatballs, and much more. Classes are designed for kids 3-14 and advanced registration is required. Details: Chelsea Market, 75 Ninth Avenue, Manhattan. For additional information, please click here.

Sunday, October 2^nd at 12:00pm
Raptor Fest
Kids will love this event as they learn all about raptors at the Prospect Park Audubon Center. This interactive event will also include flight demonstrations with hawks, falcons, owls and other birds of prey. Details: The Audubon Center, Boathouse, Prospect Park (inside the Lincoln Road/Ocean Avenue entrance). For additional information, please click here

Sunday, October 2^nd from 12:00pm to 6:00pm
Atlantic Antic Street Festival
One of the biggest and packed festivals in NYC is back. This massive event spans all of Atlantic Avenue between Hicks and Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn where you will find one-of-a-kind merchandise, artwork, jewelry and crafts from over 500 vendors and 100 local merchants, 10 live music stages featuring dance and kid music. Families will also love the Atlantic Antic Kids’ Block (located between Boerum Place and Smith Streets) where they will find pony rides, face painting, inflatable rides, balloons, stickers and tattoos. Kids will also LOVE the bus festival sponsored by the New York Transit Museum. This exciting part of the festival will allow kids to see old buses and trains parked right on Atlantic Avenue. At the Atlantic Antic parents can also check out a live performance of Liam the Magician, Rolie Polie Guacamole, Lloyd Miller from the Deedle Deedle Dees, and a bilingual puppet show for children of all ages at Gumbo or activities at The Moxie Spot. For a full schedule of all the performances, go here.  Also, the festival gets really packed so try (if possible) to go early or towards the end. Details: Atlantic Avenue between Hicks Street and Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn. For the complete Atlantic Antic Schedule visit www.atlanticave.org.

Sunday, October 2^nd at 1:00pm
Booking Reading with Mark Brown
Arthur fans will love this free event with Arthur author/illustrator Marc Brown. At this event he will also read two Arthur books and show everyone how to draw Arthur & his friends. There will also be a raffle and cookies at this event. All kids will receive a digital autographed drawing by Marc, and a lucky few will take home a paper version as well. Details: Books of Wonder children’s bookstore, 18 W. 18th St. in Manhattan (btwn 5th & 6th Ave). For additional information, please click here.

Sunday, October 2nd at 2:30pm
Reading of Cassandra’s Angel at 2:30pm
Grandparent Celebration (2:30-3:30pm)
At this event the Brooklyn Children’s Museum is celebrating its new Grandparent’s Circle Membership and Gina Otto’s new literacy-based Change My World Now Bus Tour (a 20-city traveling mobile book tour) featuring her new book, Cassandra’s Angel. This will also include a reading and book signing by Gina and a live performance performed by the cast from the book. This program is free with museum admission. Details: Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11213-1900. (718) 735-4400. For additional information, please click here.

Sunday, October 2^nd at 3:00pm
Dan Zanes in Concert
Family favorite Dan Zanes is back in town to perform songs from his new album Little Nut Tree. Zanes will also perform hits from his Grammy award-winning album Catch That Train. Tickets and info are here.  Details: Jack H. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts 566 LaGuardia Place. For additional information, please click here.

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Post tags: 19th Annual Chile Pepper Fiesta, 38th Annual Third Avenue Festival, Annual Pumpkin Day, atlantic antic, bay ridge, brooklyn botanic garden, brooklyn flea, Children's Museum Of The Arts Grand Opening Party, CMA, COffee Bark, Dan Zanes in Concert, greenlight bookstore, high line, HIP play, Learn to Compost in the City, mccarren park, Miles for Midwives, New York Botanical Garden, NYC Wine & Food Festival: Kids Get Cooking, park slope, prospect park, ragamuffin parade, smorgasburg, Staten Island Children’s Museum, Still Hip, Volleyball Skills Workshop

The Chile Pepper Fiesta is a hot event for adults and kid because there is hot music, hot entertainment and hot food! Dig into yummy salsa and hot sauces, pickles and kimchee, sample and pick delicious peppers from all over the world and listen to live music all within the gorgeous backdrop of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

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Post tags: brooklyn botanic garden, Brooklyn Gardens, Chile Pepper Fiesta, events for kids

Dedicated foodies in Brooklyn have had Fleisher’s Meats deliver meat to their apartments for a bit now. However, they will no longer have to pony up with a neighbor for the minimum $100 delivery. Today, Fleisher’s opens a sister shop to their famous Hudson Valley butcher shop in Park Slope. Fleisher’s is one of those old-fashioned butcher shops but it’s unique for its offerings of locally sourced meat that is free of hormones, antibiotics and is raised on a primarily grass-based diet.

The original Fleisher’s was actually founded by Wolf Fleisher in Kensington, reportedly at 4159 18th Avenue.

There will be a Grand Opening in October, but for now, you can enjoy first dibs on the choice meats.

Fleisher’s Meats
192 5th Avenue
Park Slope 11217

845-338-MOOO (6666)

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Post tags: butcher shop in brooklyn, fleishers, fleishers in brooklyn, flieshers, organic market, organic meat in brooklyn

At Dr. Davies Farm- take a trailer ride to their pumpkin patch

There’s nothing more fun than picking your own apples, pumpkins and veggies in the fall. There’s something special about carving a pumpkin that you chose from the ground- not in a box at the supermarket.  And applesauce from the apples you picked? That’s divine. You don’t have to travel too far out of Brooklyn to do that: pumpkin picking and hayrides are as close as  Queens County Farm and the Randall’s Island (next week/end). If you want to take a road trip, or rail trip though,  there are plenty of options in New Jersey, Westchester and Long Island.  Some of the farms are hosting special events that are worth the trip. Others have such exciting weekend activities throughout October, that you’ll want to make a trek. Have you ever wanted to see how far you could launch an apple? Or test your geotracking in a 3 acre corn maze? There are plenty of haunted houses too that will prep your kids for Halloween! Enjoy! Please leave reviews and additional farms you like in the comments section.

NEW YORK CITY

Queens County Farm Museum
http://www.queensfarm.org/
73-50 Little Neck Parkway
Floral Park, New York 11004-1129
(718) 347-3276
What to do: Starting Oct. 2- 31st you can pick your own pumpkin and take a hayride on Saturdays and Sundays. Oct. 3rd is also the Apple Festival. Through Nov. 7th enjoy the Maize Maze – a 3 acre interactive corn maze.
How to get there: By car the trip is around 1 hour. By public transportation: take the LIRR or the E or F train. Directions are here.
Reviews:
What was really cool about the 47-acre farm is that there is no admission fee to walk on the grounds. All of the extras like the hayride and corn maze are pay as you go. We didn’t end up going into the petting area because the lines were really long and my tot was really determined to get her pumpkin. Without having to pay the $3/per person fee to feed the animals we were able be right next to the baby pigs and goats – one goat even tried to take an apple out of my husband’s hand! There were also chickens, ponies and cows located throughout the space so even if you don’t pay to feed the animals you will see them. We didn’t do the hay maze because the clerk said that the maze generally takes an hour to complete – which in toddler world doesn’t really work. But I learned that the maze is open until November, 7^th and costs $8/per adult, $5/per child ages 4-11 and children under 3 are free. In the three-acre maze, you and your children go through large stacks of corn and that involves an adventure where you have to find clues and solve puzzles to find your way out. There is also a package that includes the corn maze, pumpkin picking (softball size pumpkin only) hayride, and animal feed for $14.00 for kids over 12, $11.00 for kids11-4 and $ 7.00 for kids 3 and under. There is one food vendor at the farm that serves hotdogs, chicken and hamburgers. There are also apples to pick by the bushel or a single and cider for sale – both hot and cold – and a gift shop that sells coffee and doughnuts. If that isn’t going to cut it, I would suggest packing a lunch. Food is permitted on the grounds, so bringing your own actually makes this outing very economical. We didn’t have to chance to check this out but the farm also has a greenhouse complex, an orchard and herb garden as well as a working vineyard.

Randall’s Island
http://www.randallsislandgolfcenter.com/
1 Randall’s Island
New York, NY 10035
(212) 427-5689
What to do: On October 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11th RI Golf and Sports Center will be hosting a Fall Festival complete with a pumpkin patch, pony rides, hay rides, haunted mini golf, batting cages, gaga, face painting, a pumpkin and craft station, Halloween characters, carnival games , Halloween puppet shows, plus much more. Each child will go home with a pumpkin. Admission price for the activities is $9 per person (teachers and paraprofessionals will receive free admission). Food concessions are additional. Free parking.
How to get there: By car it should take 45 minutes. By rail: Take the 4, 5, or 6 Lexington Ave. trains to 125th St., then transfer on the NW corner of 125th St. and Lexington Ave. for the M35 bus to Randall’s Island. For MTA bus travel info, call (718) 330-1234.

NEW JERSEY

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Post tags: alstede farm, apple orchard, apple picking, best place to pick pumpkin, brooklyn, demarest farm, dr davies farm, fall fest, fall harvest, family farm, farm, farm animal, harvest, haunted house, hayride, hurds farm, lawrence farm, maskers farm, milk pail farm, new jersey, ny, orchard, patchogue, petting zoo, pumpkin patch, pumpkin picking, queens, queens county farm, randalls island, terhune orchard, Westchester, where to pick apple, where to pick pumpkins, woodside nursery, working farm

Outhouse Farms: Apple and Pumpkin picking, pumpkin bouncy house

Just over an hour from the city lies the ultimate apple picking experience.  Outhouse Orchards is family-operated and happens to be open all year.  But a visit to the orchard in the autumn is very special.  I had heard about Outhouse for years and been curious about it but stayed away due to stories about massive crowds.  For some reason, we decided to brave it last weekend as I decided a visit was finally in offer.

It was the right choice.  It was one of the larger orchards that we’ve been to, and it offers a unique kind of experience.  Once we got through the crawling traffic to the parking lot (I admit my husband was getting anxious and did consider turning around, but I said that there must be a reason so many people want to go to this place, so let’s stay with it), we purchased a half bushel bag for $25.  Then we started heading up the hill of the orchard.  It was about a 10-15 minute walk.  Ahead of us were higher apple trees than we’d seen before, so we were grateful when someone offered us their apple-picking pole to help maneuver the apples from the trees.   Then we got right to it.

We all had a ball picking apples.  My husband is really tall, so he managed to raise the pole quite high to get the roundest and juiciest apples.  Outhouse has a good selection, but Cortland apples were in abundance.  We managed to get a good variety, in any case, filled our bags and then went back down the hill to see what else the orchard had to offer.  My son recently lost his two top teeth recently so he made me promise to get a knife as soon as I could to cut slices for him to eat.  The apples looked so yummy.

We had no idea what kind of treat was awaiting us.  Across the street, we headed into the food area, where they have vendors of all kinds that make their own scrumptious food including pumpkin cheesecake (out of this world!), turkey legs, pie, funnel cake (a hit in my family), BBQ, pizza, curly fries, ice cream and some kind of donuts that a zillion people were standing in line to buy.

At the market, you can also buy home made jams, jellies, fudge and cider or pick up fresh flowers  direct from their farm.  They also have a store that was selling Halloween items.  It will turn into a Christmas store in early November.

After we filled up on goodies, we headed toward the rest of festivities and found ourselves in an enormous pumpkin patch.

There was also an animal farm, a bouncy pumpkin ($3 each), a duck pond, a playground and hayrides.

For directions, go to the Outhouse Orchards site and head to the directions tab.  They’re located in North Salem.

So, now I have a bag of 50 apples waiting for me to cook them in a pie or some other type of apple dish.  Below is the first apple dish I plan to make.  I watched my sister-in-law make this when we were last in England and I didn’t always write down the measurements so you may have to make an estimated guess for certain ingredients.

APPLE CRUMBLE

You need:

5-6 medium size apples or 4 large ones

Splenda or sugar

4-5 oz. butter

8-10 ox. flour (you can substitute 1 oz. with oats)

8-10 oz. sugar (6 oz. white, 2-4 oz. brown sugar)

Optional: Berries, raisins, cinnamon, nuts

Here’s what you have to do:

To make the crumble:

-Boil the apples in water with sugar or splenda.  Or you can microwave them for 10 minutes and add berries, raisins and cinnamon.

-Dump the butter, sugar (all 8 oz and flour into a bowl and mix with a mixer.  You can add a handful of nuts.

To put it all together:

-Put the crumble on the bottom of the pan and poor the apples on top.  Bake the whole thing at 300 for 30 minutes.

-Warm up before eating.

Outhouse Orchards
130 Hardscrabble Rd
North Salem, NY 10560
(914) 277-3188

******
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Holly Rosen Fink has spent the last 15 years in NYC working in all facets of media, from MTV to the world of traditional and online publishing.  Now working as a consultant  in Westchester, she blogs about travel, theater, film, art, books, advocacy and more at The Culture Mom .  She has two children, ages 5 and 7, who share her culture addiction.

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Post tags: agriculture, animal farm, apple picking, apples, brooklyn, close to ny, close to nyc, hayride, Outhouse Orchard, petting arm, pumpkin patch, pumpkin picking, pumpkins, recipe, Westchester