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Boyertown Area Events

What’s Going Down in Boyertown? (jack o lantern)

Jeff Frederick Jeff Frederick02 Nov 2021 Comment: 1

Your weekly guide to the events and happenings in and around Boyertown, PA

What to do? Where to go? Here is your one stop list of community events, music, arts, food, business specials, and historic events for Boyertown and beyond…

As a Boyertown graduate, a real estate agent at Glocker Realty, and also a proud member of Building a Better Boyertown, I have had the joy of watching our little town grow. I enjoy having any part in helping our community to move forward. I hope this weekly blog will help shine a light on all the great things happening in and around Boyertown, PA

Here is what’s going down during the week of 10/28/2021 – 11/3/2021

THE STORY OF THE JACK O’ LANTERN

Have you ever wondered why we carve pumpkins at Halloween? How this tradition started? Where it originated? Well, I have too; and this is what I learned…

The tradition of carving pumpkins for Halloween started centuries ago with an old Irish myth about a man nicknamed “Stingy Jack.” According to the story, Stingy Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him. Stingy Jack did not want to pay for his drink, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy their drinks. Once the Devil did so, Jack decided to keep the money and put it into his pocket next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form.

Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not bother Jack for one year and that, should Jack die, he would not claim his soul. The next year, Jack again tricked the Devil into climbing into a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While he was up in the tree, Jack carved a sign of the cross into the tree’s bark so that the Devil could not come down until the Devil promised Jack not to bother him for ten more years.

Soon after, Jack died. As the legend goes, God would not allow such an unsavory figure into heaven. The Devil, upset by the trick Jack had played on him and keeping his word not to claim his soul, would not allow Jack into hell. He sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and has been roaming the Earth with it ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as “Jack of the Lantern,” and then, simply “Jack O’Lantern.”

The Irish people began to make their own versions of Jack’s lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits. The Irish brought the jack-o’-lantern tradition with them when they came to the United States. They soon found that pumpkins, a fruit native to America, were easier to carve and made perfect jack-o’-lanterns.

Tips To Carving Your Own Perfect Jack O’ Lantern

  • Start with the right pumpkin – Choose one that’s fresh, with a sturdy stem, no bruises, and a flat bottom so it won’t roll while you carve.
  • Cut from the bottom – Cutting your “lid” from the bottom of the pumpkin helps prevent the sides from caving in later. If you do carve from the top, cut out the lid on an angle. This way it won’t drop inside the pumpkin when you put it back on top
  • Scoop out all the pulp – You can buy a special “claw” for pumpkin gutting, but an ice cream scoop or large spoon will do fine. Once you’ve scooped out the pulp, thin the inner wall of the “face” area to 1 ¼ inch thick so it’s easier to carve.
  • Sketch out your design on paper first – If you draw your jack-o’-lantern face to size, you can use it as a pattern. Just tape it to the front of your pumpkin and use a fork or pencil to poke holes along the lines you want to carve.
  • Hold the pumpkin in your lap – It’s easier to create features when the face is gazing up at you. Using a serrated kitchen knife or an X-Acto knife are good tools for carving. Clean up-and-down slices look best. Start by making simple rough cuts. If you get the big pieces of pumpkin out of the way first, you can go back and clean up the edges of your design later.
  • Use your scraps creatively – You can make a tongue, pipe, ears, hair accessories, etc., out of your discarded pieces of pumpkin shell.
  • Keep your pumpkin fresh – Spread petroleum jelly on the cut edges to seal in moisture. If your pumpkin does shrivel, you can revive it with a facedown soak in cold water for up to eight hours.
  • Sprinkle cinnamon inside the lid – That way, when you light the candle, your jack-o’-lantern will smell like a pumpkin pie. Yum!
  • Let the kids join in – Include your kids on the action with a few easier tasks like scooping out the pumpkin guts and separating the seeds from the stringy stuff. Make sure they can enjoy the fruits of their labor by cooking up some Roasted Pumpkin Seeds. See the recipe below.

Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipe:

ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS

Ingredients: 2 cups fresh pumpkin seeds, 3 tablespoons butter, melted, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions: Preheat oven to 250°. Toss seeds with remaining ingredients; spread evenly into a greased foil-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase oven setting to 325° and bake until dry and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

GLOCKER TRICK
HAUNTED WOODS
SATURDAY NIGHT ONLY!

We believe strongly that Boyertown is No Place For Hate. On the night of October 5th our beloved mural was defaced. Please help us restore this treasure. To donate go to: https://www.patronicity.com/project/boyertown_is_no_place_for_hate#!/

NO PLACE FOR HATE

LET’S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK at your community each week on “The Cast at Glocker”! Matt Green & Jeff Frederick interview local entrepreneurs and those involved in helping the Boyertown area communities. You can catch us every Wednesday at 6pm as we livestream at the Glocker Realty & Insurance Facebook and YouTube pages. Join us live, comment, post questions, and be part of the conversation!

On this week’s show we visited The Flying Pig Studio Co. and spoke with owners, Ben and Mandy Sell. They described their vision of the newly opened studio flex space and their hope that it can be a stepping-stone for startup businesses and creative individuals. See the episode below…

Events List

THURSDAY 10/28/2021

FRIDAY 10/29/2021

SATURDAY 10/30/2021

SUNDAY 10/31/2021

MONDAY 11/1/2021

TUESDAY 11/2/2021

WEDNESDAY 11/3/2021

Advice from a pumpkin… Be well rounded. Get plenty of sunshine. Give thanks for life’s bounty. Have a thick skin. Keep growing. Be outstanding in your field. Think big!

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If you would like your event posted email me at jeff@glocker.com

For real estate assistance contact Jeff Frederick at jeff@glocker.com or call/text at 610-766-2028.

jeff
Jeff Frederick
@twitter.com/JeffatGlocker
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I am a real estate agent with Glocker Realty in Boyertown, PA. I am a father of two and a husband of one. I love my family the most, but I also love the town I grew up and work in. Hence my blog posts.
Jeff knows Boyertown
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