Walnuts in American History

 

By Kristy McCaffrey

Walnuts are the fruits of the walnut tree. They ripen from September to November in the northern hemisphere.

Pecans are the only indigenous nut in the America’s, but walnuts were first planted by Franciscan monks in the 1700’s. Walnuts rose to importance in America in the 1840’s, first in San Diego and then Los Angeles. Russel Heath was the first to plant a commercial walnut orchard in Santa Barbara County in the early 1860’s. By the 1880’s, he had one of the largest walnut orchards in the country. Walnut production thrived in Southern California due to its similar climate to the Mediterranean.

Back then, ranchers sold their crops to brokers, who then sold to wholesalers, but in 1896, the ranchers formed a cooperative to sell directly to wholesalers. The ranchers would send their crops to a packing house where the walnuts were graded according to size bleached to improve appearance, dried, and packed in 100-pound sacks for shipment.

While many of the health claims of walnuts have been deemed inconclusive by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration—may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, may lower blood pressure, and may improve cognitive health—they are filled with good polyunsaturated fats, B vitamins and magnesium, as well as many other vitamins and minerals.

In my upcoming book, The Canary, walnuts play a role in the story.

Coming July 25, 2023

Arizona Territory 1899 

Sarah Ryan grew up in Texas digging up animal bones and potsherds, but she always dreamed of searching for the extraordinary dinosaur fossils in the American West. When a wealthy benefactress gives her the opportunity to join the team of esteemed paleontologist Dr. Allan Brenner, she eagerly accepts. But when she arrives in the wild and wooly town of Holbrook, Arizona Territory, ready to start digging, she’s faced with the very real obstacle of being a female in a world dominated by men. 

Dr. Jack Brenner is looking for his father who disappeared into the Painted Desert two months ago. Assuming leadership of his father’s expedition has Jack suddenly saddled with Sarah Ryan, a young female paleontology student. When his guide refuses to let Sarah accompany them into the wilderness without a chaperone—and a colleague threatens her—Jack finds himself in a pretend marriage to protect the determined woman whose passion for paleontology was something he once possessed. But he has bigger problems than his beautiful new wife—someone has been stealing fossils and selling them illegally to collectors, and Jack fears it might be his father. 

Sarah is the daughter of Logan and Claire from THE DOVE.

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Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting from Lianna Hawkins

 

    This time of year, my family looks forward to not only time together but the extra special dinners coming their way. I'm a baker, so pies are one of my favorite desserts to make. I especially love decorating them with cute cookie cutter shapes like stars, fall leaves, and hearts. Last year, I changed things up by making a different dessert. Since we can only eat so much food, I chose to make cookies instead. Try these Pumpkin Cookies for something different this holiday season.  

PUMPKIN COOKIES INGREDIENTS:
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, plus extra for sprinkling
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 ¼ cups canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces (1 brick) low-fat cream cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar


HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN COOKIES:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until combined. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed for 1 minute until light and fluffy. Add in the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla to butter mixture, and beat on medium speed until just combined. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.
4. Drop on cookie sheet by heaping tablespoonfuls (I usually use a cookie scoop), then use a spoon to flatten them a little. (These cookies will puff up a little rather than flatten out during baking, so they won’t rise much)
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are cooked through and bounce back slightly if you touch them. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool until they reach room temperature. Then frost or drizzle with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with an extra pinch of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon if you’d like. Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

 
 
HOW TO MAKE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

1. With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla together on medium-high speed until smooth. Gradually add in the powdered sugar until it is all combined and the frosting is smooth. If it is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of milk or water until it reaches your desired consistency. If it is too thin, add in more powdered sugar until it reaches the consistency you want.

 
Enjoy this tasty treat!
Lianna

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A Land Called Arizona by Kristy McCaffrey #arizona

I'm so pleased to join the Cowboy Kisses Blog. For my inaugural post, I thought I should introduce myself, which goes hand-in-hand with my home state of Arizona.

Born and raised in Scottsdale, a suburb of Phoenix, I grew up scrambling among the many Indian ruins in the area.

Here I am at Mesa Verde National Park. No, it's not
in Arizona but rather Colorado. My parents liked to
roadtrip.

Like most children, I didn't appreciate this upbringing until, in my early 20's, I moved away and was blindsided by homesickness. For almost 20 years I lived in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania region—attending graduate school, getting married, and raising my children. It was at this time that I wrote my first historical western romance, dictated both by the story itself and by my sudden desire to know more about the places I'd romped in throughout my childhood. Five years ago, my husband brought me home to Arizona, where we now live in the desert north of Phoenix. One of the greatest gifts he's ever given me, I feel blessed each day to live in the land that literally makes my bones tingle.

Did you know?

Arizona became a separate territory in 1863 and a state in 1912.

Arizona has more cacti than any place in the world.

The name Arizona is derived from the Papago Indian words 'Aleh Zon', which mean 'small spring' and describe the site of a fabulous silver strike near Nogales, Mexico in 1736.

Phoenix originated in 1866 as a hay camp to supply Camp McDowell.

 

The first lot for Phoenix was purchased by Judge
William Berry of Prescott. It was the southwest
corner of First and Washington Streets, and he
paid the rather steep price of $116.

The Phoenix area rapidly expanded in growth after World War II, due in part to the invention of air conditioning.

Oraibi, on a Hopi mesa in northeast Arizona, is reputed to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in America.

 

Oraibi, circa 1870's

Arizona has the largest Native American population in the U.S., with the highest percentage of Indian land set aside among all the states.

Arizona produces more copper than the rest of the nation combined.

The best preserved meteor crater in the world is located near Winslow, Arizona. The impact was about 22,000 years ago.

 

Meteor Crater

Arizona's top tourist attraction is the Grand Canyon.

**************

My most recent book is set in Arizona.

Rancher Ethan Barstow is weary of the years-long estrangement from his brother, Charley. Deciding to track him down is easy; not so easy is riding in the company of Kate Kinsella, Charley’s fiancée. In the land of the Navajo, spirits and desire draw them close, leading them deeper into the shadows and to each other.

Now available: Kindle | Nook | Smashwords | Trade Paperback

Welcome Kristy McCaffrey to Cowboy Kisses

While I'm (Ginger) enjoying the Christmas holidays in Arizona, Kristy was kind enough to fill in for me today with an interesting article and an introduction to her new release, set in the very state I'm visiting.  Thank you, Kristy, and happy holidays to everyone.

Indian Boarding Schools

Guest Post by Kristy McCaffrey

During the 1800’s, when many Native Americans were forced onto reservations, the American government agreed to provide money, food, and education for their children. While this exchange proved to be largely detrimental to the Indian population, it was still believed that if they could learn to speak English, become Christian, and farm the land as European Americans did, then they would become successful in life. To this end, Christian churches began to open mission schools on reservations. Later, boarding schools were created with the idea that it would be easier to teach children a new way of life if they were taken from their own families and people. Boarding schools were established in 15 states or territories including Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nebraska, Oregon, California and Idaho. Children stayed anywhere from four to ten years.

While some parents readily agreed to send their children, believing they needed to learn English and new job skills, others refused. In many instances, the government forced the children to go. In 1895, a group of Hopi leaders were sent to Alcatraz Island for seven months because they wouldn’t sent their children to a boarding school.

New students were stripped of their native clothing and given uniforms. Their hair was usually cut short and they were given English names. They were punished if they used their native language. Their spiritual traditions were forbidden, replaced instead with church services and the observance of Christian holidays. The schools were often over-crowded and many children became sick, contracting influenza, tuberculosis, and measles.

While overwhelmingly negative for most children, one positive aspect was that many built lasting friendships with Native Americans from other tribes while at school together. It wasn’t until the mid-1900’s that most boarding schools were closed.


Works Cited
Littlefield, Holly. Children of the Indian Boarding Schools. Carolrhoda Books, Inc., 2001.

Photo Credits
IndianBoardingSchoolsA.jpg   content.lib.washington.edu 
IndianBoardingSchoolsB.jpg   en.wikipedia.org 
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Don’t miss Kristy’s new book, Into the Land of Shadows, a historical western romance set in the Arizona Territory, now available from Prairie Rose Publications. As Ethan Barstow and Kate Kinsella search for Ethan’s brother, Charley, they find three Hopi children along the way hiding in the desert, on the run from nearby Keams Canyon Boarding School.

Blurb
Ethan Barstow has come to Arizona Territory to search for his younger brother, Charley. It’s been five years since a woman came between them and it’s high time they buried the hatchet. He soon learns that his brother has broken more than one heart in town, has mysteriously and abruptly disappeared, and that an indignant fiancée is hot on his trail.

Kate Kinsella pursues Charley Barstow when he skips out of town without a second thought. Not only has he left Agnes McPherson alone and pregnant, but everyone still believes that he and Kate are engaged, a sham from the beginning. An ill-timed encounter with a group of ruffians has her suddenly in the company of Ethan Barstow, Charley’s brother and a man of questionable repute. As they move deeper into the shadows of the Arizona desert, family tensions and past tragedies threaten to destroy a relationship neither of them expects.

Visit http://kristymccaffrey.com for more info.

You can also find Kristy at:
Blog:  http://kristymccaffrey.blogspot.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKristyMcCaffrey
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/McCaffreyKristy