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SEPTEMBER BEAR HUGS Having a cuddly teddy bear to snuggle with is an integral part of childhood, so celebrate these furry friends on September 9, which is Teddy Bear Day. Do you know how Teddy got his name? He’s actually named for President Theodore Roosevelt, who refused to shoot a small bear while on a hunting trip in Mississippi in 1902. A cartoon by Clifford Berryman depicted the incident in the Washington Post, and the teddy bear was born.
WHO DOESN’T LOVE APPLES?
Get ready to break out the apples on September 26—Johnny Appleseed Day. John Chapman was born on this date in 1774, and he began planting trees as a nurseryman in New York and Pennsylvania. As an early settler, he was caught up in the movement to head West, and his legend grew as he planted apple trees along his route. Celebrate this early folk hero by enjoying fresh apples or making applesauce or an all-American apple pie, and consider planting your own apple tree. Plan a family outing and pick your own apples locally at Poverty Lane Orchard/Farnum Hill Ciders in West Lebanon or at Riverview Farm in Plainfield, New Hampshire, which is featured in this issue on page 62.
CIDER RULES! Besides apples, September is also the month to show your appreciation for apple cider. National Hot Mulled Cider Day is celebrated annually on September 30. Fall’s cooler temperatures make it the perfect time to enjoy this tasty beverage made by heating cider almost to boiling and adding cinnamon, orange peel, nutmeg, cloves, and other spices, and then simmering for 10 minutes. Delicious! 24 i m a g e •
Fall 2016
Having seen the cartoon, Brooklyn, New York, shopkeeper Morris Michtom and his wife Rose, who went on to found the Ideal Toy Company, created a stuffed fabric bear to mark the event and wrote to the president to get permission to use his name for their toy. About the same time, German company Steiff began to produce plush bears that officially became known as teddy bears in 1906. More than a century later, Steiff continues to make stuffed toy bears; its vintage teddy bears are coveted by collectors and can sell for thousands of dollars at auction. With the holiday season approaching, consider donating a teddy bear to an organization that delivers gifts to needy children.