It is fall in Indiana. We listen to modern day mechanized reapers as they harvest the crops; we take in the smells of fresh hay and corn stalks; and we attend festivals at markets, town squares, and community parks that celebrate the harvest. 
We gather the last of the summer fruits and vegetables and decorate our homes with colors to reflect the change of seasons. We are inspired to make pies!
Prior to the time of
using huge harvesting equipment with lights for working late into the night, farmers took advantage of the seasons’ full moons to harvest and hunt. The harvest moon appears in the middle of September, near the autumnal equinox. This moon rises shortly after sunset and, in days long past, it extended the time for farmers to work in the fields. The hunter’s moon follows in 
mid-October, and gives extra light to stock up on meats for the long winter ahead.
To honor these traditions, my pie pal Jan and I made a pilgrimage to the Breadbasket Café and Bakery in a small town near us to have lunch, and of course pie! This town celebrates the abundance of the harvest by decorating light posts with corn stalks, and the townspeople deck out their front porches with pumpkins and bittersweet.
People:
*The manager at the Breadbasket Café is the owner’s daughter and creates the ambiance that welcomes guests to the café. She encouraged us to spend time at the display case and patiently explained the details of at least 12 pies.
*The hunters and gathers who harvest our food for the long winter ahead.
Places:
*The farm fields that embrace our towns, yielding their bounty for our pies.
*Breadbasket Café and Bakery in Danville, Indiana. http://www.breadbasketcafe.com/ The Café is known for its Harvest Moon Pie, which suits the season.
Pie:
*Harvest Moon Pie, Breadbasket Café and Bakery. This pie gathers up the fall flavors of apples, cranberries and dried apricots, and its colors warm our hearts. On a cool day, the pie pairs well with a cup of coffee or tea.
- Pastry for a double-crust 9-inch pie
- 11/2 cups sugar (or to taste)
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 cups (3 med.) peeled (or not!) and thinly sliced apples
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, ground
- 1 cup dried apricots, ground
- milk
- sugar
- In large mixing bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg; stir in apples, cranberries and apricots. Turn into 9-inch pastry lined pie pan. Roll out remaining dough and place top crust over filling. Fold edge under bottom crust, pressing to seal. Flute edge. Make slits to vent. Brush top with milk; sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375 for 45 to 50 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm.
