By Karen Hendrix

For The Tribune

The Kum Join Us Homemakers Club met Oct. 3. at St Paul Lutheran Church Borchers.

Olga Otte opened the meeting, which I hosted, with the club creed and Pledge of Allegiance.

The nine members attending were asked their favorite way to eat apples for roll call. There were so many great ways, and only two were repeated. Those included apple cake, apple crisp, caramel apples on a stick, apple dumplings, baked applesauce, peanut butter and blueberries. Two responded with simple wedges, and each had their own delicious type of apples. There are so many great variations, and all are so healthy.

Olga opened discussion on the Nov. 4 bake sale, asking for ideas on items members would be bringing to sell and the possible pricing. Baked goods being made and donated by our club include lemon poppy and cinnamon streusel muffins, buckeyes, persimmon pudding and assorted pies. I can’t wait to see and taste these delightful treats made by all of our county homemakers.

Volunteers to work at our booth are also needed. Contact Misty Nolan or the Indiana Extension Homemakers Association office to reserve a time you would like to work.

RuthAnn Hendrix has received the banners to display at the bake sale listing our past scholarship recipients and informing everyone visiting our booth how our proceeds from the sale are used. She and Misty Nolan are presenting a callout to encourage new members. They will be making mashed potatoes three ways, giving delicious options for a sometimes humdrum side dish.

This live cooking event will give families new ideas for dinners while possibly encouraging someone to host their first family Thanksgiving and also giving people, male or female, the opportunity to join a great club committed to bringing families together.

I read the county council minutes from August. All clubs have been presented with an opportunity to help the Blessings in a Backpack program during IEHA week, which is Oct. 22 to 28.

Pam Kindel with Schuler Bauer has requested help from clubs packing backpacks Oct. 18. All county members are encouraged to assist with this project and are asked to call Pam at Schuler Bauer for details.

Members were reminded to promote IEHA week by wearing blue and gold on Monday, giving back to your community on Tuesday by supporting a local charity/food bank and thanking our teachers on Wednesday for education day. On Thursday, we’re asked to show community support by volunteering. Friday is member day. This is the day to celebrate anniversaries, recognize longstanding members and invite new members to our clubs. How will you celebrate IEHA week?

Mandy Otte gave an interesting lesson on pumpkins. Did you know they are actually a fruit? Pumpkins, along with cucumbers, tomatoes and avocados, come from the plant’s flowers, and that makes them all fruits. Each pumpkin contains approximately 500 seeds and takes 90 to 120 days to reach maturity once it sprouts.

Every part of the pumpkin is edible. They are a great source of beta carotene, which turns into vitamin A after eating and supports our immune system. Pumpkin pie is favored by 36% for Thanksgiving dessert over pecan, apple or sweet potato pies.

Probably the most interesting fact is the jack-o’-lantern was originally a turnip from an Irish folktale about Stingy Jack tricking the devil to pay his bar tab. After Jack’s death, he was not allowed to cross over to the afterlife but instead was forced by the devil to wander the earth at night with a piece of coal in a hollowed-out turnip. Once the Irish began immigrating to America, the modern jack-o’-lantern was born.

Illinois wins the pumpkin production battle with more than 12,000 acres of pumpkins grown each year with Michigan a close second. The “Pumpkin Capital of the World,” Morton, Illinois, is the home to Libby’s, which produces 85% of the world’s canned pumpkin.

The world’s heaviest pumpkin weighed in at 2,624, the weight of a 1971 Ford Maverick, and was grown in 2016 in Belgium. The heaviest pumpkin in the United States, grown in New Hampshire in 2016, weighed 2,528. A pumpkin pie in Ohio measuring 20 feett in diameter and weighing 3,699 pounds with the crust made from 440 sheets of dough holds the Guinness Book of World Records. I’d be interested to see how this was baked.

I read devotions from a new book, “Worry Less, Pray More,” by Donna Maltese. Our worries sometimes seem out of control, but if we hand them over to God, he has the power, wisdom and strength to handle our worries for us. He can and will transform our situation into something good. We just need to trust God.

I provided a charcuterie board, including stuffed peppers, pumpkin cake with buttercream icing and sugared pecans, to enjoy during the meeting.

Anyone wanting to join our fabulous group or if you’re interested in starting your own club should contact the IEHA office at 812-358-6101 for information.