NY has one of the more famous state nicknames out there, and this weekend we were reminded why. We hopped in the car and drove to Beak and Skiff in Lafayette to pick some apples. 22.5 lbs to be exact. about 15-18lbs of Cortlands for pies, apple crisp, baked apples (my fav) and maybe some sauce. 5 lbs or so of Honeycrisp, my new favorite eating apple. I'm a little disappointed now that I bought the 4 on 1 grafted tree. First of all, in terms of shape, this thing is kind of odd for an apple tree, the way the grafts are placed means I have to train it to an open vase shape instead of a central leader, second, I really wish I could just have those two particular varieties. As it develops I might try to get my hands on a cortland tree and graft a honeycrisp whip to it for pollenation/ fresh apples. Who knows, maybe I'll end up loving the variety from the tree I have.
Its pretty amazing to see the massive rows of productive trees being grown on a family owned operation. And while they are not currently organic, neither are they blind to the reality of where things are headed. I got to see their test organic "orchard" growing under high tunnels this year.
Fantastic Apple Fritters too.
By the way, if anyone has a favorite apple recipe, post it here, I'm game for just about anything (vegetarian).
Monday, September 28, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
disturbing trends
One can only pour gasoline on a fire for so long until a random spark sets the whole pile ablaze.
Create a threat and people prepare
Add tension, make incendiary comments, orchestrate an us vs. them mindset
eventually someone does the unthinkable.
self fulfilling prophesy. God help us all, I pray its the end rather than the beginning.
Create a threat and people prepare
Add tension, make incendiary comments, orchestrate an us vs. them mindset
eventually someone does the unthinkable.
self fulfilling prophesy. God help us all, I pray its the end rather than the beginning.
Random seeds and introversion
Yesterday I came home from work to find about 10 neatly piled sunflower seeds on our front steps. Since they were not chewed all to heck I figure they were not deposited by a squirrel but a fellow gardening neighbor who noticed that absence of sunflowers from our property this year.
I figure its probably one of four other gardeners in the neighborhood, but most likely one of two since I did not see sunflowers anywhere on the other two's yard. Yes, I secretly check out what my neighbors are growing. Not that I sneak in late at night, I just slow down and stare as I pass by. Now I know I could just walk up and talk to them, but if you are wondering why then you clearly don't understand the concept of extreme shyness. I need to get a feel for someone before I just go chitchat, and perhaps someone in a very obtuse or rather ingenious way is doing the same with me. Well, game on, I will plant them.
Well whoever you are...thank you.
This gives me an idea, why not leave a few seeds for some of my favorites in the suspects mailboxes.
I hereby declare today "Give a seed to a stranger day."
I figure its probably one of four other gardeners in the neighborhood, but most likely one of two since I did not see sunflowers anywhere on the other two's yard. Yes, I secretly check out what my neighbors are growing. Not that I sneak in late at night, I just slow down and stare as I pass by. Now I know I could just walk up and talk to them, but if you are wondering why then you clearly don't understand the concept of extreme shyness. I need to get a feel for someone before I just go chitchat, and perhaps someone in a very obtuse or rather ingenious way is doing the same with me. Well, game on, I will plant them.
Well whoever you are...thank you.
This gives me an idea, why not leave a few seeds for some of my favorites in the suspects mailboxes.
I hereby declare today "Give a seed to a stranger day."
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Preservation efforts
This spring I experimented with a variety of black eyed pea that was purported to grow to maturity in northern regions. It goes by the name fagiolino dolico di veneto. I originally got it from Underwood Gardens. Unfortunately I probably did not give them a proper start indoors, and the newly emergent seedlings got by and large decimated by pests. Fortunately a survivng shoot here and there managed to produce a few pods which despite no more than 3 or 4 leaves per plant, managed to mature with ample time to dry on the plant before frost. I ended up with about 20 seeds (peas) which is about the amount that came in the packet.
This variety is apparently only available in the US from the aforementioned supplier, and they appear to be out of stock. Hopefully they are planting a bigger seedcrop this year. Lesson learned. Next year I will start all but a few indoors (perhaps even grow one in the shelter of the sunroom) to increase the chances of survival. Based upon yeild I may offer to trade or give away the seed from subsequent years. Not necessarily on a commercial level, but I think given its potential use to us short season growers, it should be more widespread. Hopefully Underwood Seed will have enough to give this one a comeback, it would be a shame to see more genetic lines disapear.
This variety is apparently only available in the US from the aforementioned supplier, and they appear to be out of stock. Hopefully they are planting a bigger seedcrop this year. Lesson learned. Next year I will start all but a few indoors (perhaps even grow one in the shelter of the sunroom) to increase the chances of survival. Based upon yeild I may offer to trade or give away the seed from subsequent years. Not necessarily on a commercial level, but I think given its potential use to us short season growers, it should be more widespread. Hopefully Underwood Seed will have enough to give this one a comeback, it would be a shame to see more genetic lines disapear.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Blitz
Been busy lately, no shock there, but I have some catch up to do here, so I'll update as my memory allows.
First the tomatoes...oh the tomatoes. Here's a taste of one evenings take.
not sure what my final poundage was for the year as I still have a few out there, racing the weather to ripen. But there was enough to can about 4 quarts of the most delicious garlicy sauce courtesy of my brother from another mother's recipe. Next year there will be twice as many vines.
The last corner of the potato patch got dug up. Thar be monsters!
granted 1 lbs 1.25 oz may be pedestrian by onestraw's standards...but its a record for me. no final tally yet.
Even more significant. I have achieved a benchmark. I have made a succession plan work. Previously I was just shy a few weeks time to have a good crop of beans after potatoes. I am fairly confident I can repeat the results now. We've had a cool gray wet summer, so even with that taken into account, I can fit the two crops in the same spot and avoid the frost. Yeah! This year, the first major harvest day for the green beans planted after potatoes came in at a touch over a pound. This is enough to have a couple good meals at home and give away the rest before they go bad. Not enough to can though (nor do I have a pressure canner). Thankfully...I only planted about a third of what I could have, so next year we should have enough for fresh and putting aside. Here is about one half the take on saturday morning.
Speaking of beans, the vermont craberry shelling beans were sufficiently dry to pick and shell. It was so much fun that my wife insisted on finishing shelling the rest. Pretty productive, I got a good cup and a quarter of shelled dried beans from about a 10 foot row. Next year I'll buy more seed, since I'll likely use up all these beans in cooking, though I could technically save it.
And lastly, the sunflowers did not happen this year. I think my seed saving methods may be at fault. I only saved one head a year, so I'm betting the lack of diversity lead to an inbreeding depression. Spindly little things that couldn't stand on their own. Here's the real surprise. My wife remarked that she missed seeing them around the house. The same wife who in prior years remarked that their presence was a bit hippyish. I just smirked, she insisted that I not read to much into it...yeah right.
First the tomatoes...oh the tomatoes. Here's a taste of one evenings take.
not sure what my final poundage was for the year as I still have a few out there, racing the weather to ripen. But there was enough to can about 4 quarts of the most delicious garlicy sauce courtesy of my brother from another mother's recipe. Next year there will be twice as many vines.
The last corner of the potato patch got dug up. Thar be monsters!
granted 1 lbs 1.25 oz may be pedestrian by onestraw's standards...but its a record for me. no final tally yet.
Even more significant. I have achieved a benchmark. I have made a succession plan work. Previously I was just shy a few weeks time to have a good crop of beans after potatoes. I am fairly confident I can repeat the results now. We've had a cool gray wet summer, so even with that taken into account, I can fit the two crops in the same spot and avoid the frost. Yeah! This year, the first major harvest day for the green beans planted after potatoes came in at a touch over a pound. This is enough to have a couple good meals at home and give away the rest before they go bad. Not enough to can though (nor do I have a pressure canner). Thankfully...I only planted about a third of what I could have, so next year we should have enough for fresh and putting aside. Here is about one half the take on saturday morning.
Speaking of beans, the vermont craberry shelling beans were sufficiently dry to pick and shell. It was so much fun that my wife insisted on finishing shelling the rest. Pretty productive, I got a good cup and a quarter of shelled dried beans from about a 10 foot row. Next year I'll buy more seed, since I'll likely use up all these beans in cooking, though I could technically save it.
And lastly, the sunflowers did not happen this year. I think my seed saving methods may be at fault. I only saved one head a year, so I'm betting the lack of diversity lead to an inbreeding depression. Spindly little things that couldn't stand on their own. Here's the real surprise. My wife remarked that she missed seeing them around the house. The same wife who in prior years remarked that their presence was a bit hippyish. I just smirked, she insisted that I not read to much into it...yeah right.
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