Finally getting some good eating out of our garden.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10427/garden%20fresh.JPG)
How's every else's doing?
The DanG rabbits stunted my peas so since we're in town the bb gun took care of bugs!
We had a spinach omlet for breakfast the other day.
Now the black berries are about a week away.
I wish we had some of those strawberries, we haven't started a bed yet.
woodsteach
My garden's going fallow this year--I got some nasty disease in there that hit my maters pretty hard, so I'm "solarizing" my soil this summer. It should kill all the diseases, as well as the weed seeds. Apparently, it's pretty effective. I do have a couple of mater plants in my front garden, and a boatload of wild black raspberries and regular raspberries that should be ready at the end of June.
Those strawberries are looking mighty tasty! 8)
Paschale maybe your maters been bitten by the tobacco mossaic virus if they are the old varieties? Probably caused from second hand cigar smoke ;D I make sure when I plant maters to toss out the chew and wash my hands really good and hope I finish before I need a fix :D
Good lookin berries Norm , berries just starting to have flowers up here .
:-X
I've been picking a heaping pound carton of strawberries a day for 5 days now on about 60 or so plants. I gave it a rest yesterday, but will hit it hard tonight when I get home from work. I've got so many I've been frezing them whole. I guess I should get some jars and make some jam.
Quote from: UNCLEBUCK on June 05, 2006, 01:32:39 AM
Paschale maybe your maters been bitten by the tobacco mossaic virus if they are the old varieties? Probably caused from second hand cigar smoke ;D I make sure when I plant maters to toss out the chew and wash my hands really good and hope I finish before I need a fix :D
Good lookin berries Norm , berries just starting to have flowers up here .
Paschale, any of that bootleg Thailand berries live? I bet that trombone case has hauled more berry vines across state lines than a mexican produce truck 8) 8) 8)
:D :D :D
UB, I think it's that verticillium wilt, and it definitely got on my old tomatoes. I bought all my plants from a guy last year who grows these heirlooms as a hobby. His place is a MESS! What I've read about the heirlooms is that you've gotta be really hygenic in your planting, because it's easy for those nasty diseases to get to the plants otherwise. This guy passed on the disease to my garden...though maybe it is the mosaic virus. ;)
Oh...and UB...no one's supposed to know about those Thailand berries, or all of that illegal produce smuggling...keep a lid on it, will ya? ;)
Wow....you guys are way ahead of us. It'll be a couple more weeks for sure before we got any berrys goin'. I can't wait either.....strawberries are just like green apples for me. Can't stop eatin' em untill you've already overdone it. :D :D :D
Well I won't be getting no berries this year since I just planted them,
We have been eating lettuce and radish's though. And the carrots are not far behind
We are getting bananas right now - and guavas. Hot peppers too. (millions)
Let's see - the Mangos are setting on really well - ah, Avocados are in full production. We have some nice Limes starting to produce too.
My coffee plants are ripening beans right now too - not a lot, but a start. And the Macadamias are nearly ripe it seems. Not very many this year because they have never been pruned.
But we should be flooded next year.
No garden for me this year. Gonna let things lie for a year. I do have my raspberry patch though. Last year I picked a washtub full of them. Hope'n for the same this year. They've just started blossoming here. My father's strawberries are still green and lots of new blossums. He has troublels with blue berries. Most of them look 90 % dead and only one variety looks thrifty with blossums. I never had any luck with them either. They are a hardy plant, so it has to be the soil or maybe disease. If you plant peas in the garden and then plant taters on the same ground the next year you may get rhyzectonia from the peas. Farmers used to grow peas here as rotation, but rhyzectonia caused them to stop growing peas.
Hey Fred,
How's the weather down there ??? ??? ;D ;D ;D
Same as always - wonderful! I love the rainy season more than the dry season. Right now it is really raining and I want to go for a bike ride - if it wasn't for the thunder - I would be out in it. But... I am trying to have some common sense. :-\
A little snack while I read the forum. ;D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10427/cookiesandcream.JPG)
My pumpkins are just coming out of the ground. My parents garden is doing very well but it's gonna be a while before anything is ready for harvest. I noticed the wild blackberries were in bloom the last few days 8) 8)
Last week at the farm market a lady comes by a booth run by my mom's friend who sells baking beans and asks is there any fresh corn. She said she had some nice corn the week before, mmm it was good she said. :-\ Hmmm, let's see here. Planting season is May-Early June in NB and you think we have fresh corn? ::) Some people are on Mars. :D
I still have about a month to wait for my wild black raspberries. Having some people over for a bonfire Saturday night, and we'll be passing around a bottle of last year's raspberry harvest ;D It turned out dry, and very full bodied :)
SwampDonkey,we had someone come to the greenhouse and ask for corn too.We do sell produce too,but that is still 3 weeks away.Beetgreens should be up and going by than.Our growing season is just about like yours.Corley5,I've seen those blackberries in bloom too.
Quote from: SwampDonkey on June 08, 2006, 05:27:34 AM
Last week at the farm market a lady comes by a booth run by my mom's friend who sells baking beans and asks is there any fresh corn. She said she had some nice corn the week before, mmm it was good she said. :-\ Hmmm, let's see here. Planting season is May-Early June in NB and you think we have fresh corn? ::) Some people are on Mars. :D
some people think food comes from the store. ::)
Father's taters are in blossum and the beat greens are almost ready to thin and eat now at dad's. His strawberries are still green but bigger than your thumb. I harvest raspberries in July here.
Swamp Donkey, we had import corn last night and it wasn't good. My wife went to work today and paople were trash talking us jersey people because our corn is so bad this year( we usually have really good corn). My wife comes home and tells me about it. I proceed to tell her that same thing. Corn isn't out here yet. I then point to the back yard at my garden so she can see the 18 inch tall corn. She didn't believe me. I used joelmars line "people think food comes from the store" on her. It was pricelss. My own wife sheesh I can't believe it.
8)
Lo and behold I got enough fresh pea's for supper tonight. I was cruising the garden this morning and put s few pea runners up on the trellis and said well looky here. Asked the wife is she was ready for canning season :D :D That got me a dirty look ::)
I should eat sweet corn every day....it's the only time I floss my teeth :D
Norm,
That first photo had me worried. Strawberries on icecream sounds a lot better than, strawberry and pea soup, yuck.
We have so many strawberries now I've tried lots of combinations but that's not one of em. :D
Our weather turned really hot (mid 90's) and my peas have suffered. The next variety coming on is the snow peas, one of my favorites but they'll not last long unless it cools off and we get rain. Still that first night of fresh peas is worth the effort.
Our highbush blueberries that are about 10 yrs old and approximately 18" tall (max) :D are loaded with berries ::) I put the fertilizer right to em and cut the grass down around em, and there are a few suckers comin up around them. The wild berries probably won't be out for at least a couple more weeks here. Think I'm gonna put some pine needles around the berries to help acidify the soil ???
Our cherry trees are just loaded this year, last year we didn't get any because of a late frost so Patty and I went over and picked enough to make a batch of cherry jelly.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10427/cherry%20jelly.jpg)
First you cook em down to a juice, strain through cheesecloth, and then add pectin. Bring to a boil add sugar and bring back to a boil.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10427/cherry%20jelly%202.jpg)
Got about 9 pints for my own stash. I'm hiding these from the kids and company. :D
Looks mighty tasty! 8)
Reminds me of the same color as the crabapple jelly I made last year. Sure is a pretty color!
Did you have to pit the cherries before you put them in the pot?
First strawberries are ready here 8) The cherries are just about ready to pick, it is supposed to be warm this week to help them finish. I gotta go easy on them though, I tend to get carried away.
I'll remember to ask for some cherry jelly when I get a chance to come and catch those koi or should try to catch. Dee digin1 digin1 digin1
We're getting to the end of the strawberries here. There will be three or four more pickings, but they are past their peak. We've put up 40 quart so far, some in pints some in quarts, some frozen, some canned. Part of those will go to my mother and some to my wife's two bachelor brothers. Lots of good eating. :)
Red raspberries will be next. Looks like we'll have a decent crop if we keep them watered. Darned dry here. Wild blackberries would follow the raspberries, but they are drying up to nothing. :(
The wild raspberries here are pretty bad this year too. It's been so dry that they get ripe but are small and hard. Our strawberries yielded pretty poorly for the same reason.
Paschale they tell you to pit them in the recipe but I don't and can't tell any difference.
We simmered them for 10 minutes and then strained them with cheese cloth. We didn't think it was necessary to spend all that time removing pits.
Cowboy Bob and I have been saving up for a trip to Iowa, Texas and Arizona. I hope we get out there before Norm eats all that Cherry Jelly himself! move_it
Woo Hoo! 8)
Save them pennies!
Friday we mahe 24 pints of strawberry rhubarb jam. It is to die for. I just had some slathered on toast. food6
We give little half pint jars of jam to the biomedical engineers that we work with. It seems to brighten up their day.
Norm made some homemade ice cream last nite. cone_1 What a good way to watch a movie...
Is it any wonder I am always on a diet. smiley_bouncing Of course I am not complaining. I'll die with a big ice cream smile on my face. ;D
A paper clip makes a neat tool to pit cherries. Just slip it in the stem end of the cherry, hook the pit and pull it out.
Had fresh strawberries from dad's garden this week. :) My raspberry caines are loaded heavy with green fruit now and my cherry tree is loaded, but not yet ripe. The coons will get the cherries and tear the poor old tree to pieces. :'(
A shotgun or a .22 rifle works pretty good for coons, SD.
I don't have much tolerance for varmits that eat my food. >:(
But are they eating your food OR are you eating theirs ???
The day I see them out planting sweet corn my view will change, until then the only good varmit is a dead varmit. sling_shot
:D :D :D :D :D
Patty and Norm, I have to clean up on them once in awhile in the early morning hours. I had to eradicate the squirrels last year. I can't figure where they (squirrels) come from when it's big fields all around me. I do miss the foxes that used to stay in the orchard, they kept the ground hogs in check.
Ok, now, all this talk about homemade jam and such is really making me homesick!
That sort of stuff is really tough to come by locally here, and about this time of year, I would dlo almost anything for a couple jars of peach jam of hte homemade persuasion.
Anyone have some they'd be willing to part with for a bachelor type woodmonger in dire need???
SD
Ya gotta wait until August for Peach season in this area, and if ya remind me then, that's a can do request. :)
This was from last years bounty.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/drptuttifrutti.jpg)
Blueberries, black rassies, wineberries, blackberries. We're down to just a few jars of jams, Michelle makes them in about every combination. We had the first handful of blueberries standing in the garden the other day, its looking to be a good year for the berries, if this week doesn't wash us away :-\. We've just gotten back from my folks, the peaches are in in SC and judging from my overstuffed and grumbling tummy, they turned out right good ;D
Snow peas are in. We've been enjoying a row of found potatoes too.
I just talked to my mom and dad on the phone. He told me he got a ripe watermellon off of his vines today and I knew before I left that he was getting a few ripe tomatos to eat. So far the folks I've talked to up here tell me they don't really like tomatos. 'I" say its cause they ain't never had no southern vine ripened tomato's.
Oh, I forgot to mention,Charles brought it to mind with the maters, we went to the Park Seed Co /Wayside Gardens trial gardens while down in SC. DanG shame they had cameras :D. If you're ever in that neighborhood it was a fun visit, pack a picnic they have tables under some nice oaks.
Quote from: treecyclers on June 25, 2006, 07:48:02 PM
Ok, now, all this talk about homemade jam and such is really making me homesick!
That sort of stuff is really tough to come by locally here, and about this time of year, I would dlo almost anything for a couple jars of peach jam of hte homemade persuasion.
Anyone have some they'd be willing to part with for a bachelor type woodmonger in dire need???
SD
Quality homemade jams, jellies, and preserves are a huge challenge to come by here, unless you like cactus jelly or jalapeno jam, and I can't say that I have a taste for that stuff. To each their own, I suppose.
And, as it appears that the majority of hte bounty is happening on the east side of our fine nation, anyone that has a plentiful bounty of jams or anything of that sort that might be willing to part with a jar or two for a fair price, please contact me off list.
Peach is my favorite by far, but anything home made is appreciated more than words could hope to convey.
Am I sounding sick of the desert yet?
THanks in advance!
SD
I am with Roxie on this. We order peaches in late August early July....as our peach trees are not old enough to produce yet. Remind me again in about a month, and I'll make up a batch of jam. Now you have two offers!
Hey SD,
Check out American Spoon Foods (http://www.spoon.com/) for some AMAZING jams and jellies from Michigan and the midwest. Tasty, tasty stuff! 8)
Noted ;)
I do hereby nominate Don P and his wonderful bride for Forum Friends of the year!
This past Wednesday, I stopped at the old Post Office to pick up my mail, and quite unexpectedly got a little yellow tag that denotes that I have a package awaiting my picking it up in the office.
I walked in there to get my parcel, and say hello to the folks in there, and find a little package from VA that I have no idea who sent it to me....
I get home and impatiently open it, as I am starting to suspect that I know what's inside...
SHAZAM! There's a beautiful golden jar of FRESH PEACH JAM, courtesy of Mr. & Mrs. Don P.
WOOHOO!
It's already a great weekend, and that compounds it by a factor of 5!
My girlfriend is on her way up the hill from Phoenix, should be here in about an hour and a half or so, and we have a dinner date with some friends at the local Mexican food place in town.
Tomorrow, a farm style breakfast concocted by yours truly, complete with some of that FRESH PEACH JAM!!!
LIFE IS GRAND!
Thank you so much Don and Mrs. Don!
Have a fantastic day!
Superdave
I'm hoping that's enough to tide you over till Roxie and Patty get you some more. Sounds like you'll have grounds to be our peach gourmet by the end of summer :D.
We picked those up at a roadside stand in SC. They were good peaches, I think we only lost 2. Michelle passed some out to our homeowners' family. We got stopped on the way home Tuesday, fresh peach freezer jam 8).
Sorry about the cobbler, it was good ;D
Well, as of this morning, I've sampled some of Norm's cherry jelly. 8) 8) 8)
smiley_chef_hat
Tasty stuff, Norm. Had it on a piece of toast this morning. I plan to sample the strawberry/rhubarb soon too.
Thanks again, Norm and Patty! 8)
Well, what a weekend!
I had more fun with my girlfriend in town than I have had in a long time!
We walked around town, took in the sights, had a wonderful dinner at a local resaturant, and a fantastic breakfast of eggs, sausage, and toast with some of that WONDERFUL PEACH JAM from Don and Mrs. Don.
My girl, being from Alabama, is well versed in the finer points of preserves, and she even said that it was one of the best she has ever had!
WOOHOO!
SD
Helping to move relationships forward one meal at a time :D. Glad y'all had a good weekend.
(Our secret recipe is hidden within the surejell box ;).) When a recipe is that simple the ingredients are everything, we just lucked into some really good ones.
Some friends came by last night bearing dessert. They had roamed the ridge above them and had made a cherry/blueberry crisp. A little whipped cream and a cup of coffee by the bonfire. That was good eatin 8).
There's a little-known holiday coming up on August 8— "Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Night."
This is the official notice for this very special holiday. I received notification this morning on my email.
hmmm August 7th is New Brunswick day, couldn't be that could it? ;D
I got hit by the cucumber monster last night!
A fat sack of cukes greeted me this morning when I stepped out for my morning coffee to watch the sunrise!
Cool!
SD
Patty! I'm so glad you mentioned it!
Note to Cowboy Bob: Load the shotgun!!! 8)
I didn't know it was an offishul holliday :D :D.
When we lived in the city it was the time of year we had to find the house keys again. Michelle was just as bad to the neighbors. She worked in asparagus, strawberry and pepper research for awhile at moo U and would bring them home by the grocery sack till the neighborhood was saturated.
Friend of mine came to work one morning muttering that he had forgotten to lock his car the night before. "Somebody steal it?", I asked. "No, I found a half dozen
zucchini in the front seat this morning." :D