Van Dyke Gardens: autumn

Lone Star Tick

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Long Island is no stranger to ticks. Since our last post on the summer tick outbreak (which you can read here), a new contender has rose to the top of the pest pyramid; The Lone Star Tick. This tick has brought on a new symptom to occur after being bitten by the pest. The symptom is forming an allergy to red-meats. These ticks can be identified by having a white spot in the center of its back in adult form.

When Lone Star Ticks bite, they transfer a sugar in their saliva called “alpha-gal.” The human body develop antibodies and then develop severe allergic reactions when consuming red meat. The only cure for this allergy is to avoid eating meat until it goes away. This can take years. So be on the lookout while going out east to apple and pumpkin pick this fall season, in case there are any stragglers hanging on. 

Thank you to Ali Gorman from ABC News 6 for the original information. You can read more here.

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Ugly Pumpkins Need Some Love Too

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Every October, families rush to their favorite pumpkin patch or super market to find the “perfect pumpkin.” With more than 30 varieties of pumpkin to choose from, its no surprise that there are “less then perfect pumpkins” in the lot. Ugly pumpkins (also known as fancy pumpkins) are gaining popularity over the recent years. These pumpkins are perfect for your porch on Halloween. They can be bumpy, splotchy, or even look like a toad. It adds atmosphere. Ugly pumpkins are great for Jack-O-Lantern’s that want to be unusual and out of the box. Here are some photos of ugly pumpkins. Go pick one up!

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Thank you to Jim Merritt for the original information. You can read more here.

Fall Perennials

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Here are the perennials growing for fall right now. We managed to capture a photo of a bumble bee perched on one of the flowers along the shed. He must have been in the process of pollinating! I love when plants bloom during the fall, its a beautiful mix of summer plants with the new winter plants. 

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Autumn Festivals on Long Island 2016

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Here is a list of fall festivals and fairs happening this upcoming autumn this year! Go out and have some family fun!

Long Island Family Festival
Tanner Park in Copaigue, Admission: free
September 16 (6-10pm), September 17 (11am-10pm), and September 18 (11am-6pm)

Pickle Festival
John Gardiner Farm in Greenlawn, Admission: $5 donation, free if younger than 12
September 17 (10am-4pm)

Schmitt Family Farm Fall Festival
6 Bagatelle Rd. in Dixhills, Admission: free, fees apply for games and rides
Saturdays and Sundays through October 30 including Columbus Day (10am-6pm)

Dockside Family Festival
Captree State Park in Babylon, Admission: free, $8 parking fee
September 17 and 18 (11am-5pm)

Garlic Festival 
Garden of Eve Farm in Riverhead, Admission: $5, free if 6 and younger
September 17 and 18 (10am-6pm)

Hicks Nurseries Fall Festival
100 Jericho Tpke in Westbury, Admission: free, accepting non-perishable food donations
September 17 through October 30 (8am-6pm)

Fink’s Country Farm Fall Festival
6242 Middle Country Rd in Wading River, Admission: $15, free if 2 or younger
September 17 through October 30 (9:30am-5:30pm)

Cow Harbor Day
Northport Village Park in Northport, Admission: free, $30 pay-one-price rides
September 18 (11am-5pm)

Fall Festival at Dees’ Nursery
69 Atlantic Ave in Oceanside, Admission: free, small fee for crafts and activities
Every weekend in October including Oct. 10, and excluding halloween weekend (11am-5pm)

East End Marine Festival
Village of Greenport, Admission: free
September 23 (6:30pm-9pm), 24 (10am-5pm), and 25 (9am-5pm)

Fish Hatchery Fall Fair
Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery and Aquarium in Cold Spring Harbor, Admission: $6, $4 for ages 3-12 and 65 and older
September 24 (10am-4:30pm)

Harvest Fair
Rogers Mansion in Southhampton, Admission: free
September 24 (starts at 11am)

Valley Stream Community Fest
Rockaway Ave in Valley Stream, Admission: free
September 24 (10am-5pm)

Family Festival by the Sea
630 Lido Blvd in Lido Beach, Admission: free
September 24 and 25 (11am-6:30pm)

Queens County Fair
Queens County Farm Museum in Floral Park, Admission: $10, #5 for ages 12 and younger
September 24 and 25 (11am-6pm)

Long Island Fair
Old Bethpage Restoration in Old Bethpage, Admission: $12, $8 for ages 5 to 12
September 30 to October 2 (10am-5pm)

Fall Farm Festival at White Post Farms
White Post Farms in Melville, Admission: $19
Weekends starting September 24 through October 30 (10am-4pm)

Long Island Apple Festival
Sherwood-Jayne House in Setauket, Admission: $7, $5 for children and seniors
September 25 (11am-4:30pm)

Long Island Potato Festival
Elks Lodge in Southhampton, Admission: $20, free for ages 12 and younger
September 25 (11am-4pm)

PumpkinFest 
Suffolk County Farm in Yaphank, Admission: $12, Free for ages 3 and younger
October 1 and 2 (11am-5pm)

San Gennaro Feast of the Hamptons
Hampton Bays Rail Road Station in Hampton Bays, Admission: free
October 1 (10am-10pm), October 2 (10am-8pm)

Fall Harvest Festival 
Brightwaters Farm in Bayshore, Admission: $10, free for ages 1 and younger
October 1 through October 30 (9am-5pm)

Long Island Fall Festival
Heckscher Park in Huntington, Admission: free
October 7 (5pm-10pm), October 8 and 9 (11am-9pm), October 10 (11am-5pm)

Fall Harvest Festival 
Mill Neck Manor House in Mill Neck, Admission: $15 a vehicle
October 8 and 9 (9am-5pm)

Montauk Fall Festival
Village Green, Admission: free
October 8 and 9 (11am-5pm)

Barnyard Adventure and Fall Festival at Harbes Family Farm
Harbes Farm in Mattituck, Admission: $7.95 on weekdays, $12.95 weekends
Late September to the end of October (9am-6pm)

Harvest Festival
Bennett’s Farm in East Setauket, Admission: $8, $6 for ages 12 and younger
October 9 (12pm-4pm)

Crestwood’s Fall Fair and Open House
313 Round Swamp Road in Melville, Admission: free
October 15 (11am-3pm)

Rolling River Fall Festival
477 Ocean Ave in East Rockaway, Admission: free
October 15 (12pm-4pm)

Oyster Festival
West End Ave in Oyster Bay, Admission: free
October 15 and 16 (11am-6pm)

Great Jack-O-Latern Spectacular Sail
Belmont Lake State Park in North Babylon, Admission: free
October 29 (3pm-6:30pm)

Spooky Fest
Tanglewood Preserve in Rockville Centre, Admission: your choice of $10 or $15
October 15 through October 30 weekends (6:30pm-9:30pm)

Center Moriches Fall Festival
Center Moriches, Admission: free
October 15 (9am-6pm)

Huntington Historical Society Apple Festival
434 Park Ave in Huntington, Admission: free
October 16 (12pm-4pm)

Village Day Fall Festival
Sandy Point Preserve in Sands Point, Admission: $20 per vehicle, or $10 with season pass
October 16 (1pm-4pm)

West Hills Fall Festival
21 Sweet Hollow Road in Huntington, Admission: free
October 22 (11am-3pm)

Thank you to Newsday for the original information, you can read more here. 

How to make your carved pumpkins last longer!

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October is here, which means its time to gather those pumpkins and carve them! One downfall of carving pumpkins, is timing. It’s the constant worry that ‘Maybe I’m carving them too early.’ or ‘I really hope these last to halloween.’ You can carve a sprightly Jack-O-Latern but in a week or two you can have a decrepit ghoul sitting on your porch. There are a few factors to why pumpkins age like they do after being carved. Oxygen in the air can easily enter and break down the pumpkin through oxidation, Once you carve the pumpkin it is susceptible to fungi, bacteria and mold which can shorten the life and simple dehydration sets in as soon as you make the first carving. Here are some steps you can do that will extend your carved pumpkins life.

  1. Remove all dirt on the pumpkin using a damp cloth.
  2. Make a solution of 1 tablespoon bleach per quart of water and pour into an easy spray bottle.
  3. Spray inside and out of all the cut areas of the pumpkin with the solution (this will kill most of the surface bacteria that cause rotting.)
  4. Let it sit and dry for 20 minutes.
  5. Rub all of the carved surfaces with petroleum jelly (this keeps out new bacteria and also reduces dehydration rate dramatically!)
  6. Wipe all the excess petroleum away.
  7. Keep your pumpkin out of direct sunlight and try to keep it cool without freezing, and you should be able to extend your pumpkins life by about a week!

Happy Carving!

Thank you to Pumpkin Patches and More for the original information. You can read more here.