Fresh from the garden

jon12345 · June 09, 2006, 10:47:43 PM

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 ???

Norm · June 24, 2006, 01:23:38 PM

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.

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.

Got about 9 pints for my own stash. I'm hiding these from the kids and company. :D

Paschale · June 24, 2006, 02:22:04 PM

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?

sawguy21 · June 24, 2006, 03:00:53 PM

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.

Tonys other half · June 24, 2006, 03:29:58 PM

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

Woodcarver · June 25, 2006, 12:04:44 AM

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. :(

Norm · June 25, 2006, 07:54:21 AM

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.

Patty · June 25, 2006, 08:06:56 AM

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.

Roxie · June 25, 2006, 09:10:59 AM

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!

Patty · June 25, 2006, 11:33:18 AM

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.

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.

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

Woodcarver · June 25, 2006, 11:34:36 AM

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.

SwampDonkey · June 25, 2006, 02:14:21 PM

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. :'(

Patty · June 25, 2006, 03:14:40 PM

A shotgun or a .22 rifle works pretty good for coons, SD.

I don't have much tolerance for varmits that eat my food. >:(

Furby · June 25, 2006, 03:19:45 PM

But are they eating your food OR are you eating theirs ???

Norm · June 25, 2006, 03:30:24 PM

The day I see them out planting sweet corn my view will change, until then the only good varmit is a dead varmit.

Furby · June 25, 2006, 03:40:35 PM

:D :D :D :D :D

SwampDonkey · June 25, 2006, 03:45:33 PM

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.

treecyclers · 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

Roxie · June 25, 2006, 08:20:39 PM

Ya gotta wait until August for Peach season in this area, and if ya remind me then, that's a can do request.

Don P · June 25, 2006, 10:26:24 PM

This was from last years bounty.

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.

etat · June 25, 2006, 10:29:02 PM

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.

Don P · June 25, 2006, 10:39:02 PM

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.

treecyclers · June 25, 2006, 11:09:13 PM

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

Patty · June 26, 2006, 01:06:30 PM

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!