Kit ideas
 

I don't know whether it's also true about the US, but when I was a kid autumn was a period for a) picking chestnuts and b) eating roasted chestnuts. I don't think there anything like that in the Shoppe, so I thought it might be interesting and a bit different.

Another one is mushroom picking. That's totally an autumn activity in Slovakia. However, from the comments Zora received on her mushrooms books I gather this is probably not true about the US, so unless I'm mistaken, this wouldn't be interesting for that many customers.

ETA: OK, so I get these don't sound very tempting, hehe. But adding some chestnut / mushroom elements in a normal autumn kit would be just as perfect from my point of view. Just in case. ;-)

Nope, not common here, at least not where I live.

Thought so. Never mind. :-)

LOL It's so interesting to hear about traditions in other countries. I'll admit that it never occurred to me that one would "pick" chestnuts. When I think about them, the only connection I make is with the Christmas song (which is my most disliked Christmas song in the entire world -- just a little random Libby trivia for ya).

Thanks for sharing that idea!

So eating roasted chestnuts is not common in the US? Wow. You honestly don't know what you're missing. :-)

What we used to pick as children were the inedible variety. We used to make funny animals with them using knife and matches - like this.

The edible variety isn't that easy to find when you live in town (if you're lucky you can bake them at home - yum); but the smell of roasted edible chestnuts totally is November to me. In Luxembourg they sell them but I haven't seen stands in the street; however, in France chestnuts are the big thing. I sure had roasted chestnuts in Strasbourg and you can get SOOO many French chestnut products, especially in season.

Yep, I was always told NOT to pick mushrooms LOL

Some people roast chestnuts here, but it's not as common. When we used to live up in the foothills, we went to the Cornish Christmas festival and they would always roast chestnuts there.

Mushrooms are edible and rather yummy, eh. If you can recognise which are edible, which inedible and which are downright toxic. I only ever go mushroom picking with people who know, because I'm sadly ignorant in this respect. :-)

As I see it, it's actually a great incentive for beautiful forest walks in autumn.

Roast Chestnuts are really popular with us from now until christmas. There is a roast chestnut stand at every town and village winter carnival. They smell and taste great.
Over here, the kids also pick horse chestnuts, bore a hole through the middle and tie a piece of string through them - then try and bash hell out of each others chestnuts - we call it conkers.

http://www.rhs.org.uk/Media/Images/C...-004?width=510

That's cute! Glad to hear chestnuts (both edible and inedible) are popular somewhere else, too. :-) And the smell of roasted chestnuts is synonymous for autumn for me - and yes, their season ends with Christmas here, too.

Interesting to hear about the different approach of Autumn in different countries! We collect chestnuts as well, it's the number one Autumn activity of the children. We usually don't roast them but eat them raw. (the edible kind ofcourse) Some people do roast them but they are not sold in the streets anywhere. At least not as far as I know! Picking mushrooms is not very common here either. I couldn't tell the difference between the edible and non-edible kinds (except for the champignons!) :)
But I agree, I definitely miss a good old chestnut in most Autumn kits as well!

My FIL's second wife is from Russia... and she goes mushroom hunting late summer/early fall... she has only poisoned my FIL 4 times. ;) You would think that after the first time, you would pass on the mushrooms your wife picked out in middle of no where... since I think those that grow around here aren't the same as found in Russia... :huh:

Chestnuts are a popular sight here come Christmas and it's sometimes seen on Christmas Eve/Day dinner tables :) I remember they're usually sold freshly roasted right outside church during Simbang Gabi, which is a traditional nine-day novena done the nine days before Christmas. :) My mom used to come home with bags of them and I would whine to get to use the nutcracker, lol.

Yes, I think that would do. Just including the good old chestnut in autumn kits. And one or two mushrooms as well; they are a part of autumn landscape, at least here.

mushrooms in this kit!

https://www.sweetshoppedesigns.com/s...833e21c55a.jpg

Chestnuts are popular here in new York in the winter. There's a stand on almost every corner.

Libby's Frog Lips also has mushrooms! I could have sworn I posted that yesterday, but somehow must not have. :/

Oh yes! Do you know parasol / shaggy mushrooms? In Slovakia (and maybe the whole central Europe) they are all edible. But recently I have discovered there are also several toxic types they grown in the U.S. / Canada!

Parasol mushrooms are very delicious and popular here as they cannot be mistaken with any poisonous mushrooms when you are just a bit careful. They have a circle ring, a specific tip on their hat and brownish petals. We bake or fry them, make steaks of them, fill them with cheese... yummy yummy!

http://www.nahuby.sk/images/fotosuta...2006_41004.jpg

http://www.vareni.cz/include/ir/mmm_...-c190xc190.jpg

http://i.sme.sk/cdata/5/60/6034845/obr_02.jpg

My friend has also a Russian wife and she poisoned them with mushrooms once (luckily they are both alive). She used to go mushroom hunting with her parents many times and she says she can recognize mushrooms... but maybe just the Russian kinds which are probably different.

We don't pick chestnuts here in Norway, but mushrooms are picked at this time of year. I don't even take a chance on doing so because I really know nothing about them and since a lot of the edible ones look similar to the toxic ones, I don't take the chance.

But yeah, mushroom picking is a popular fall activity here in Norway too.