Sunday, October 24, 2010

Jack of the Lantern


Thought I would post a link for a wonderful idea from Beekman Farms.  Carving parsnips!  They look wonderfully rustic and spooky.  I think I'll try the same idea with turnips.  Check out the Beekman Farms website. http://beekman1802.com

Jack of the Lantern from Beekman Farms


"According to Irish lore, Stingy Jack was a trickster so talented that he even fooled the devil.
When the devil came to claim Jack’s soul, Jack asked the devil to climb a tree and pick him an apple to serve as his last meal on earth.  While the devil was up the tree, Jack encircled the trunk with crosses and would not allow the devil to exit without first promising to not carry him to hell.
When Jack died, St. Peter, of course, turned him away from heaven’s gates.  The devil kept his word and instead of taking him to the underworld sent Jack off to roam the earth for eternity with only a glowing coal ember placed inside a carved-out turnip to light his way.  He became known as Jack of the Lantern.
Throughout Europe, people carved their own lanterns out of turnips, potatoes and beets to keep Jack away on All Hallow’s Eve when the dead walk among us. It wasn’t until 19th century immigrants encountered pumpkins in America that the familiar orange orbs became a Halloween tradition.
But at Beekman 1802, we can find more things in the heirloom vegetable garden to an inspire us than a pumpkin.
This year, we chose to work with the parsnip to make an entire collection of ghostly ghouls."



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