In Season & Fresh from the Garden, the Fields, the Orchards & the Woods
We are all tired of the grayness and wetness that has been our unusual lot in the Virginia northern Piedmont over the last year. Our winter has not been particularly cold, the temperatures dipped below 10F ( -12C) only a few times, and briefly at …
The black locusts enchanting blossoms are melting away in the rain as I write. As everything else this year, they were 10 days to 2 weeks earlier than usual – I generally count on the 2nd week of May to be peak time for the …
March 30: black currant leaves just visible. April 2: 14F (14F!!!!!!) at night. Forecast called for 24. I did not cover my newly planted brassicas. A week later they show damage – the outer leaves show large whitish spots. April 3: spotted the first …
The bumble bees – I have really been noticing them this year – and how hard they are working: on the tomatoes, the cucumbers, the squash, the blackberries and the raspberries – and yes on ornamental too, like this sulfurous cosmos. Thank you, my ladies!
Sunday’s walk – a day before the long rain. How fresh and green and vibrant was everything in the cool brilliant day. Shades of green – a case of walking with your eyes up (no morels for me): Pawpaws loaded with blooms (edible fruit)
When foraging, it is important to always keep one eyes and nose open. It can be hard to see fruiting blackberries in July. At that point everything is green and lush and overgrown. Ripe berries can “melt” in the background as you zoom by. But …
Woke up to the smell of bread baking, teasing me awake… Since the oven was hot already from the bread baking, I decided to make a cherry cobbler and a peach cobbler – using sweet cherries and peaches picked, processed and frozen last summer. Fresh …
Elle est belle ma campagne… She’s is greening, pastures growing for cattle and sheep… In the garden, things are also fattening (lettuce & mustard greens) and pushing up: fava beans up (yeah!!!!), peas 2 inches tall, potatoes, and first asparagus tip showing its purple nose …
100 feet to clear of snow to the chicken coop cum compound… … or 1/4 mile up an unplowed dirt road and then 1/4 up the hill – plowing as you go, and don’t forget the gates – to bring hay to the cattle? Makes …