Fun Fact Friday #17 - Don't Forget to Carve Your Turnip! 🎃

      Now, this post is going to be less of a fun fact and more of a fun (fictional) tale about the history of jack-o-lanterns and how they got their name.  

      Many of the stories that surround the naming of the glowing pumpkin come from a man named Stingy Jack. Stingy Jack was a troublemaker to say the least. He would drink as much as he could and then play tricks on everybody, even the Devil himself. One day Jack tricked the Devil into climbing an old apple tree. After the Devil climbed the tree, Jack left crosses all around it's trunk. Of course, the Devil is unable to touch crosses, so he was not able to climb down. He did this so the Devil would promise to not take his soul when he died. The Devil promised, Jack took away the crosses, and the Devil climbed down. 

Stingy Jack and his turnip jack-o-lantern.

      When is was Jack's time to pass on he went up to Heaven and met Saint Peter. Jack was told that becasue he was mean and nasty during hi lifetime he was not allowed into Heaven and was sent down to the dark depths of the Devil's home. The Devil kept his promise, though, and would not let him in. Jack was lost somewhere in the middle, called the Netherworld. He asked the Devil how he could leave this lightless place, so the Devil showed him an ember to lead him back to the depths. 

      In this story, Jack always carried a turnip with him because it was one of his favourite foods. Jack hollowed out the turnip and stuck the ember inside. From that day forward, Jack wandered Earth, with no resting place, lighting his way with his "Jack-O-Lantern". 
      
      This story came from Ireland and it's ancient Celtic traditions on All Hallow's Eve. Because Ireland was lacking pumpkins, they would use turnips, rutabagas, gourds, potatoes, or beets. 

      The Tyrconnell area was once known as Little Ireland because of the amount of Irish people that lived there. It is possible that the settlers might have carved some sort of vegetable on All Hallow's Eve. 

Come for a tour at the oldest house in Little Ireland, the Backus-Page House Museum!
29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
(519) 762-3072

Fun Fact Friday #16 - Trick or Treat! 👻

      Did you know that children did not start trick-or-treating until about 1911?

Something children might have worn
on Halloween (approx. 1911)

      Trick-or-treating is a classic Halloween tradition that is practiced all over the world. In Canada it did not come around until 1911 in Kingston, Ontario. It was reported that children went street "guising", which basically means running around dressed in costume, on Halloween in between 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM. They would visit shops and neighbours to gather as many nuts and candies they could. To win the treats they would have to perform a song or rhyme and if the audience enjoyed they would toss them something tasty. The term "trick-or-treat" did not show up until around 1927 in Blackie, Alberta.

Come and visit an old Victorian home where children who began the trick-or-treating tradition in Canada might have lived, now called The Backus-Page House Museum!
29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
519-762-3072

Fun Fact Friday #15 - Beer Hops 🍺

      Did you know that almost all kinds beer uses a flower called Hop? 
      Hops are little cone-shaped flowers that grow on the humulus lupus plant found in North America. When they are dried out in an oast house and ground they are usually used in beer as a flavouring and stabilizing agent because of it's bitter, zesty, or citric flavours. 

      The earliest documented use of hops in beer was in the year 736 in Germany, it was then passed to England in 1524, and finally to North America in 1629. These days most hop yards are found in Canada and the U.S.

Hops after they are dried and ground.

      The Backus-Page House Museum has it's very own hops plant in the garden!

Come find out what makes your refreshing beer taste the way it does at:
29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
(519) 762-3072

Fun Fact Fridays #14 - No Solicitors! 💬

      Did you know that in the 19th century people would go door to door selling a "cure-all" called snake oil? If you have ever seen an old western/cowboy movie there has probably been a character selling some kind of elixir. This is the most accurate depiction of these snake oil sellers. Snake oil was said to be a cure-all by it's sellers, but was notorious for not actually working.

Snake Oil Salesman

       The original snake oil came from China. This oil was creating using the oils taken from Chinese River Snakes. They used this as a pain reliever for arthritis, bursitis, and other joint aches. It made it's way into North America in the mid 1800's and was sold door to door. Of course, there are no Chinese River Snakes in North America, so the contents were changed. North American snake oil consisted mostly of alcohol and was sold as an antiseptic. Very much like peroxide or rubbing alcohol, snake oil was used on scrapes or cuts, but it was not nearly as effective.
      The Backus-Page House has an original bottle with the original bottle, label, and contents displayed in our pantry room! Come check it out for yourself at the Backus-Page House Museum:

Snake Oil
Original Bottle, Label, and Contents

29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
(519) 762-3072