O/S Harvet Festival Baskets

Icemaiden

A week on friday (6th oct) its DDs harvest festival and food baskets have been requested for the elderly in our community.

Now its quite some time ago since I last did one so want to make it as O/S as possible and don't want to give the usual value tinned stuff everyone else gives, I would love some old dear to get a special treat!

So far I've come up with HM Jams (already made), bake a small fruit cake, HM biscuits. I do have some HM pickled beetroot and red cabbage, do you think these would be suitable?

Any ideas would be appreciated:D
Thanks

Ice
x

thriftlady_2

Those ideas sound lovely, I'd add a loaf of hm bread- what could be more harvesty than that ?
I always do this sort of thing for harvest festivals. I don't care what anyone says tins of beans are just not right. I think even in a big city you can make use of home grown seasonal produce. I usually add some Michaelmas daisies and branches of berries

Rachel021967

What a lovely idea. Our school and local church ask for money these days to go to WaterAid or FarmAid in Africa. The only thing I can think of that hasn't been mentioned is some fresh fruit and/or vegetables from the garden.

Bambam

I'm sure an elderly person would love all that hm produce, but if it has a short shelf life ie bread/cakes/biscuits make enquiries as to how long it is likely to be before the recipient gets your lovely hamper as it would be a shame if they've dried out before they can enjoy it. So much better than tinned stuff - how thoughtful you are!

Bargain_Rzl

thriftlady wrote:

I always do this sort of thing for harvest festivals. I don't care what anyone says tins of beans are just not right. I think even in a big city you can make use of home grown seasonal produce.

I agree it takes the OS charm out of the occasion, but it really does depend on how the goods are going to be used. As Bambam says, shelf life is an important consideration.

At my church, which is just off Oxford Street smack bang in the middle of Central London, our Harvest Festival benefits a local charity which caters (literally) for disadvantaged people in West London, running soup kitchens and a breakfast club for kids who might otherwise not get a decent meal before school. The goods we donate are passed on directly to the charity, so perishables are just not suitable - in fact, donations of non-food household goods are encouraged too. The idea is that we're thankful for our blessings and share them with others - not to celebrate a literal "harvest" which in the middle of London is completely irrelevant.

MATH

Bargain_Rzl wrote:

I agree it takes the OS charm out of the occasion, but it really does depend on how the goods are going to be used. As Bambam says, shelf life is an important consideration.

At my church, which is just off Oxford Street smack bang in the middle of Central London, our Harvest Festival benefits a local charity which caters (literally) for disadvantaged people in West London, running soup kitchens and a breakfast club for kids who might otherwise not get a decent meal before school. The goods we donate are passed on directly to the charity, so perishables are just not suitable - in fact, donations of non-food household goods are encouraged too. The idea is that we're thankful for our blessings and share them with others - not to celebrate a literal "harvest" which in the middle of London is completely irrelevant.

I couldn't agree more, it is showing gratitude for all the God gives us not just the harvest which may seem a bit remote to most of us unless like me you live surrounded by fields. LOL

At our church we have a small offering of corn, bread, fruit and veg for decorative purposes. This is then auctioned off after evening service and the money goes to charity but the main offerings people are asked to bring are dried packet and tinned goods which go to the local homeless shelter. These peope have no kitchens to cook and need food which can be eaten cold from the tin of just needs added boiling water. In recent years we have also added tootbrushes, deodrant , shower gel etc to the mix. So i think we get the best of both worlds, the traditional harvest 'Look' but with an action applicable to the modern world.