Collecting wild edibles
Will I actually get to eat a peach from my peach trees this year, or will the squirrels, deer, and raccoons get them all again just before I’m ready to pick them?
Because they always nab them the day before they ripen, that’s my strong clue that I have squirrels and raccoons monitoring the fruit just as closely as I am.
I used to have a quarter-acre vegetable garden. Back when I had time. But those days appear to be in the rearview mirror.
So, what’s a dirt lover to do when they don’t have the time to full-on garden?
Go with raised beds and perennials.
Garlic is a given—I’ve been using my own bulbs, which I cultivated starting back when Cait was still a toddler. While not technically a perennial, it’s super easy to grow. Plant in the fall. Harvest … Read More
So it seems that tapping two maple trees gives us just enough syrup to get through until the next maple tap.
But I knew as soon as my family got a taste of this, I’d have to be making more. So, along with their annual garlic allotment, I’ve had to add two more trees into maple production.
Though, at the moment, with some daytime temps still in the minus digits, it’s looking like we’re still a week or two away. … Read More
I have lived in this house, on this property, for a very long time. The longest I’ve lived anywhere by double.
And I like to think that I’m an observant person because I usually am.
But this totally slipped by me for who knows how long. Until a few days ago.
(Actually, it was Cait who noticed it while home because her two roommates contracted covid. But that’s another story.)
A MULBERRY TREE!! Bearing mulberries. Lots of them!
So, of … Read More
If you have any jewelweed plants in your vicinity, this is the perfect time of year to harvest their seeds. If you’ve never tried these treats before (they taste very similar to sunflower or pumpkin seeds), you’re in for a surprise. In more ways than one. : )
… Read More5 gallons of sap collected in 3 days
Strained out bits, bugs, and particles through cheesecloth
Boiled 85% down on our outdoor grill (Maybe next year, I’ll build a fire box…)
Finished the last on my stove so I could watch to make sure it didn’t burn or turn to candy.
This is what I’m left with.
Unbelievably yummy!
Pure joy.
I’ve always wanted to try making my own maple syrup. From past reading, I knew it was easy to do, didn’t require a lot of paraphernalia, and was relatively idiot proof.
So I decided this was the year. I took a 1-hour class, bought my equipment and picked out two beautiful old Maple trees right off my deck. I’m not looking to go into business–I just want to make enough for my family, so two trees ought to be plenty.… Read More
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