Category — HOME & GARDEN

The season for searching for that perfect Christmas Tree is upon us.  Take a look at our list of local Christmas Tree Farms to see where you will go this year.  We also have some farms listed from Warren County, NJ in case you want to make a day-trip of it!  Be sure to comment on this post and let us know your favorite place to get a tree!

Alger Tree Farm, Califon
Species…400 trees; Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, Douglas-fir, Concolor Fir
Open…8:30-5 (Sat & Sun), Dec. 2 - 24
908-832-2298
http://members.aol.com/algertreefarm/index.htm

Black Oak Farm, Bethlehem Township
Species…900 trees; Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, Douglas-fir, Concolor Fir, Canaan Fir, Mexican Border Pine
Open…9-5 (daily but closed Wednesdays), Nov. 24 - Dec. 17
Also: gift shop, wreaths, trimmings, refreshments
908-537-4133

Brightlands Christmas Tree Farm, Milford
608 Milford-Mt. Pleasant Rd
908-996-4681

Charlie Brown’s Christmas Tree Farm, Milford
Species…2,000 trees; Douglas-fir
Open…10-4:30 (Fri, Sat, Sun), Nov. 24 - Dec. 24
Also: wreaths, trimmings, hayrides
908-995-4365 or 610-258-7305 [Read more →]

Every once and a while we come across a website that is really neat, even as a parent you enjoy it. We are sharing some of our favorite holiday website finds with you here.  If you have a great site, let us know about it by posting it in the comments!

Elf Yourself

Website URL: http://www.elfyourself.com/

Hunterdon Moms Online Comments:  This super fun site brought to us by Office Max is the hit of the 2007 holiday season.  On this site you can upload up to four images at a time and then crop out your faces to add them to the bodies of dancing elves.  During the process you can even call a special phone number and record a personalized message to add to your clip.  The end result is your photos as dancing elves! [Read more →]

First Book, an award-winning nonprofit organization, and Borders Group, Inc., a global retailer of books, music and movies with more than 1,100 stores worldwide, announced that they will again team up for another holiday giving campaign. This is the third consecutive year that Borders, Waldenbooks and First Book have joined together for a holiday giving campaign.

Beginning November 1 and ending December 24, customers in Borders and Waldenbooks stores will be encouraged to donate $1, $3, $5 or more to First Book as they make their holiday purchases. The funds donated by Borders and Waldenbooks customers will be converted to gift cards and distributed to local organizations affiliated with First Book to purchase books for the children they serve. [Read more →]

The Hunterdon County YMCA invites the community to join them in spreading some joy this holiday season.  The Y’s Angel Patrol collects toys, canned & boxed food items, baby clothes & baby toiletries, mittens, gloves, hats, books, and adult toiletry items to distribute to those members of our Hunterdon County community who are experiencing financial hardship. [Read more →]

With Halloween just around the corner, we wanted to know who amongst us has been brave enough to visit one of the many local Haunted Hayrides?  Which ones are the best (or worst)?  Share your spooky experiences with us, so others looking for some ghoulish fun can benefit!  Here are some ideas to get us started:

The Haunted Mill at the Red Mill Museum Village in Clinton, NJ
http://www.clintonhauntedmill.org/

Schaffer’s Farms Fright Festival in Flemington, NJ
http://www.schaeferfarms.com/frightfest.html

Grochowicz Farm in Glen Gardner, NJ
http://www.grochowiczfarms.com/Frightful%20Nights.htm

And in nearby Buck’s County, PA

Festival of Fears
http://festivaloffears.com/mainpage.htm 

Not that this is anywhere near us, but the very thought of it is quite scary. 

Terror behind the walls
http://www.easternstate.org/halloween/directions/
Eastern State Penitentiary, Philiadelphia PA

Pumpkin picking season is upon us and so we were wondering, exactly where are the best places to pick pumpkins in Hunterdon County, NJ.  We want to hear from you, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know where your family goes to get their pumpkins.  Let us know what is so great about it, what makes it special or fun!

Rawhide Rescue was formed to serve the needs of homeless dogs by providing loving and expedient rescue, foster homes and placement with a great measure of compassion and through teamwork with you and other rescue groups and shelters.

Rawhide Rescue is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. We’ll be happy to provide you with a tax-receipt upon request so that you can deduct your donation to us.

[Read more →]

Rutgers Cooperative Extension - Master Gardeners run a free Garden Helpline service that runs from April through October, 4 days a week. Residents can call with questions or bring in their samples of tree limbs, insects, flowers + all things horticultural. The Helpline is staffed by Volunteer Master Gardeners: April through October. Monday thru Thursday: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and Monday and Wednesday: 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Call 908-788-1735 or email them at gardeners@co.hunterdon.nj.us .

NOTE: It is Extremely Important for you to provide your mailing address and phone number and email address when you write to the Master Gardeners.

The following pets are currently available for adoption in Hunterdon County, NJ.

Hunterdon Moms Online Recommended!

Makes 3 1/2 cups

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1 cup salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

2 cups cold water 

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, mix together the flour, salt, oil, cream of tartar, and water.

Cook uncovered over medium heat, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly until the dough is the consistency of mashed potatoes.

Divide the dough into four equal portions. It should have a soft, smooth texture.

Add approximately six to eight drops of food coloring to each portion, kneading the color into the dough to distribute it evenly.

Store the play dough in a re-sealable bag or airtight container. 

TIPS

Soak the saucepan you use to make this immediately after you remove the play dough in hot water. This will insure you don’t have a real sticky hard mess to clean up if you let it set to long. It cleaned up very easily if you soaked right away.

We keep our play dough wrapped in saran wrap and then, put it into an airtight container to keep it from drying out.

Comments

I made this recipe with my kids last winter and they still use it now. The dough is as soft and as fresh as the day we made it! It’s great!!

It’s also fun to use it to make dried dough crafts as well. Let the kids use cookie cutters to cut out shapes and put holes in them for decorations, jewelry or whatever. They can make figures with it too. It dries extremely hard and doesn’t chip, flake or break apart easily!

Have fun!