|  Chester and Baruk cozifying with the potted rosemary and cacti during a December snow storm. In June,when trees are in full leaf,flowers abound and breezes pass through the permeable boundary between indoors and out,I occasionally pause to remind myself that in less than six months all will be radically transformed. Our Technicolor world will vanish and be replaced by black and white. My summer-self wonders how we can possibly tolerate such deprivation and all the difficulties of winter —the freezing cold,persistent darkness, layers of clothing,shoveling snow,hauling wood,and the hazardous walking and driving conditions. On this week of longest nights,protected from the life-threatening cold by a well-insulated house,I am reminded again as I do every year at this time,the appeal of our Zone 4 winters. It is best expressed in a recently made-up word – cozification. Cozification happens in winter when protected from cold,with a pot of soup and a good book and/or warm companionship. The verb form,cozify,can be very expressive too,as in “I’d rather stay home tonight and cozify.” (I thought I had invented “cozify” but Google indicated otherwise. It seems to be especially popular in blogs about interior decorating,as in “I still need to cozify my new living room.”) You might dismiss the desire for cozification as a mere Christmas card cliché,but I think it goes deep into our animal imperative to seek shelter from the elements and to curl up conserving energy. Add to that,a very modern human need for quiet rest and reflection. Without cozification,who could bear the winter? For northern gardeners,winter offers us some real advantages over our counter-parts in gentler climes. How do they maintain their enthusiasm for gardening without an annual break from their toils? How can they plan the next season’s strategies without the blank canvas of a snow covered garden? What incentives do mild,tropical evenings give for researching new garden theories,techniques and plant varieties? Pity those Zone 9 and 10 gardeners with their lush winter trees full of avocados and oranges! When the next snow storm blows in,snuggle up to the fire with your seed catalogues and cozify in good cheer!  Green tomatoes picked before frost,ripening on trays We’ll be staying close to home for Thanksgiving so can source the majority of ingredients for the feast from our 2010 harvests. As with every growing season,there were notable ups and downs but thanks to unusually good weather for plants,the successes far exceeded the failures. Here’s a list of what’s still available fresh and preserved for the Thanksgiving menu and beyond. In the garden (protected with floating row covers)
Rainbow chard
Kale
Leeks
Fennel bulbs Stored in the root cellar (cool moist storage)
Brussels sprouts
Red,green and Savoy cabbages
Red and golden beets
Celeriac
Carrots Growing in the hoop house
Flat leaf parsley
Scallions
Sage,thyme,chives,tarragon,mint and oregano
Lettuce,mache,curly endive and arugula
Radishes Growing in pots in the house
Rosemary
Lemongrass
Key limes
Thyme,parsley,mint,shallot greens,cilantro
Belgian endive (in a cool,dark closet – not ready yet) Dry storage in the house
Potatoes – German butterball
Winter squash –Carnival
Garlic and shallots
Tomatoes (green tomatoes ripening on trays in mud room) Preserved
Dried morels and porchini mushrooms
Hot peppers including dried red,frozen serranos and anaheims,and habanero sauce
Frozen basil pesto
Frozen sweet corn
Dried beans – several varieties including tiger’s eye and Hidatsa shield bean
Poppy seeds
Tomatoes – dried,oil-roasted and canned salsa
Raspberry jam,mixed wild berry jam and apple butter
Violet and elderberry syrups
Maple syrup
Dried herbs for tea including nettles,raspberry leaf,red clover blossoms and mint as well as roasted dandelion root
Dried herbs for cooking including thyme,dill seed,coriander and oregano. Products that failed to make this year’s list due to poor timing,seeds that weren’t viable,not planting enough or just plain forgetting to plant them at all included onions,pumpkins,parsnips,turnips,rutabaga,Chinese cabbage,and cilantro. Pickles aren’t a big priority for us but I wish we’d gotten around to at least making dilly beans. I will aspire to include all of these and more on the 2011 Thanksgiving harvest list.  Raspberry row BEFORE pruning Faced with a long list of seasonal garden tasks in the fall —from planting garlic to capturing leaves,to preparing the garden beds for spring —the long row of raspberries often claim attention first. Pruning raspberry canes makes them more productive and easier work around when the raspberry picking season comes next summer. For those like us with prominently displayed raspberries,pruning also makes the row look more presentable,especially during the winter season when the canes are bare. Raspberry pruning should be reserved for days that are cool enough for a full-cover of thorn-resistant clothing but warm and dry enough for the relatively slow-moving task and frequent kneeling. I’m not aware of any botanical timing concerns for pruning raspberries —any time from fall to spring should work just fine —so for this task,you can indulge in attending to your own comfort. Pruning raspberries and other fruits that grow on canes isn’t difficult. Next year’s fruit will grow on the canes that grew out of the ground this year,so the goal is to cut out last year’s spent canes. In fall it’s easy to see the difference between the two because this year’s canes have a lively bronze or reddish color and many still have leaves attached to them. Old canes look old. They have brown,cracked bark and bare branches. Once you identify which are the old canes,cut them out at the base. If they are sufficiently dried out,sometimes they will snap off at the base with just a yank of a gloved hand.  Removing last year's gnarly canes. While pruning,I also cut out some of the new canes that are short,spindly or growing too far away from the row. If healthy green leaves remain on these,you can dry them for use in herbal teas. Raspberry leaves are said to be rich in vitamins and minerals and can be used as a daily tonic alone or in combination with other herbs,as the taste is mild and blends well. The leaves are best known as an herb for pregnant women but also said to be beneficial for people at all stages of life.  Raspberry Row AFTER pruning and mulching For so-called ever-bearing raspberry varieties,like Heritage,that bear a fall crop of berries on first-year canes,the normal practice is to mow down all the canes at the end of the season to invest fully in the the next year’s fall crop. My fall raspberry season is usually cut short by frost so I haven’t found the mow-down approach to be worthwhile. Instead,I prune my Heritage berries the same way as my summer,Boyne Red berries. The only difference is that after a killing frost,I also prune off the top segments that produced the fall berries. The next summer,this allows side shoots to grow and produce more berries on the same canes. When finished pruning,I mulch the soil around the plants,applying a thick layer of hay. Hay mulch,as it breaks down,appears to provide sufficient food for the raspberry plants so no other fertilizer or soil amendments are needed. It also suppresses weeds and maintains even soil moisture. The annual maintenance is complete when all the remaining canes are tucked in between the two levels of wire fencing. Instead of planting raspberries in a patch,I highly recommend planting and training the canes to a row,fencing with a four-wire system and mowing around the row to prevent the plants from spreading horizontally. The four-wire system is explained in this very infomative booklet. Raspberries are one of the easiest fruits to grow in Zone 4 if you take the time,once a year to give them what they need.  Roadside apples in early October. Despite the blossom-killing frost last spring,the wild apple crop seems to be as prolific as ever,proving that the feral fruits growing on this hard-scrabble hill are indeed well adapted to harsh conditions. Unlike cultivated varieties that are propagated through grafting (cloning the mother tree) wild apples,like us,are the unique product of two distinct parents. So wild trees,even those growing side-by-side,produce fruits that look and taste completely different. The apple trees growing along our country road,with their unkempt jumble of limbs and gauges from ditching and plowing aren’t pretty. Their small fruits are pock-marked,insect damaged and bruised,but I love to taste and compare them. When walking up the road with our neighbors through the brilliant fall foliage,we pick apples as we go along,discussing and critiquing them,then later try to remember which trees produce the best fruit. It’s become a fall tradition. Flavors and textures are as varied as fine wines and can be described in the same way —bright,astringent,coarse,flowery,lingering. Even if the texture isn’t appealing for fresh eating it can be perfectly good for cooking. Timing too can make a difference. One of the most prolific trees on our walks had disappointingly inedible fruit earlier this fall but now after ripening fully,can be eaten and used in cooking. So we’ve learned to sample often and avoid deeming a tree’s fruit to be useless until the end of the apple picking season.  Apples from the abandoned orchard in the woods,with pumpkins and squash from the garden When combined in cider,sauce or pies,a mix of wild apples results in a product full of character. I am especially fond of apple butter made from wild apples. Apple butter can be as simple as making apple sauce,using any method or recipe,then baking it in wide,shallow pan or cookie sheet in a low oven (about 300 F) for a couple hours until the flavors concentrate and begin to caramelize,stirring occasionally. Most recipes call for cinnamon and other spices,but when using wild apples,I can’t bear to mask the complex apple-ness so tend to cook them up with just a little maple syrup which adds a sweetness that is complementary. At Kerry and Nate’s annual cider-making party last weekend we pressed wild apples together with the Macs and other orchard grown apples and the resulting cider is a flavor-packed,lip-smacking treat. The perfectly decent,locally produced commercial cider we’d gotten someplace else tastes downright dull in comparison. I’ve got to quick,post this message now so I can justify pouring myself another glass of the wild cider!  Enough chicken of the woods to feed an army. Found near my house today,but too far gone to pick for good eating. Two weeks ago heavy rains penetrated even the dense canopies of evergreen trees,soaking the ground. Then came a heat wave. A week later our woodsy world erupted in mushrooms. Unfortunately,I was away during that time so I missed the main event but have been wowed by what I’ve been finding at the tail end of that flush. After spending most of the summer searching regularly,but finding only dissappointing numbers of chanterelles,a few lobsters,and some porcini and chicken of the woods that had gone by,I was feeling rather discouraged about mushroom hunting. It didn’t help that the past few wet summers yielded little in the way of good edibles. (Mushrooms like moist but not wet conditions.) On my walks with the dog since returning, a mere glance into areas of mixed hemlock-deciduous forest on well-drained benches along the top of a ravine that runs next to our road,brought success. There,in places I’ve never seen them before, were clusters of beautiful porchinis – the beloved culinary mushroom, Boletus edulis. When young,the caps look like appetizing buns,freshly browned from the oven,and picked before the caps flatten,while the flesh is still firm and heavy,they are among the best mushrooms,wild or cultivated. I love the scent —a mild,savory smell that hints at the intense umami that makes porcini such a prized ingredient. For our Friday night bruschetta,we sauteed some sliced porcinis,added diced onions and garlic after the moisture was cooked out of the mushrooms and then deglazed with red wine and tossed in a little parsley at the end. That, dolloped generously on slices of good,crusty bread and broiled with a little cheese on top was awesome! The rest of the porcinis were thinly sliced and are currently air drying. Drying concentrates the flavor of porcinis so that when reconstituted in a little water,a little can be added to risottos,sauces and stews for great effect.  Porcini in various poses on black and white paper for taking spore prints. Before indulging further in myco-enthusiasms,I must offer appropriate caution. Eating wild mushrooms can be fatal! No one should attempt to eat wild mushrooms without first learning the basics of mushroom identification. There are old mushroom hunters and bold mushroom hunters but no old,bold mushroom hunters. A little fear is a healthy component of this sport. All it took for me was to read a terrifying description of death from liver failure caused by eating one of the common white Amanita species known as the Destroying Angel,to instill in me the powerful desire to take spore prints and to consult multiple sources before sampling any new mushroom for the first time. Besides the Aminitas avoid the Galerinas. One of a host of “LBMs” (little brown mushrooms), galerinas are difficult even for experts to identify, so I avoid the whole universe of LBMs all together. Most mushrooms are neither lethally poisonous nor particularly good to eat. The edibility of mushrooms range on a spectrum from very few mushrooms that are deadly,to a lot that could give you a tummy ache and possibly hallucinations,to another large number on the edible side that won’t hurt you but aren’t particularly tasty either,and finally to the 20 or so species that the field guides refer to as ”choice.” With all the reference books,websites, smart phone apps, and mycology club outings available these days,learning to identify just the choice mushrooms in your habitat should be a do-able undertaking for anyone with the interest and desire to learn. Besides good eating,you’ll be rewarded with a fun way to liven-up a walk in the woods and a growing appreciation for the amazing world of fungi that silently co-exists with ours.  Transplants in peat pots ready for fall. August —the best of the summer months,when the weather more often than not cooperates for outdoor fun,the biting bugs diminish and the great season of bountiful harvests begins. But I can already feel the hours of daylight diminishing rapidly. Crickets now dominate the evening chorus and the Canada geese have begun their training flights. Even while harvesting the classic summer produce —tomatoes,peppers,beans,basil,cucumbers,zucchini,eggplant,potatoes,onions,garlic and more —one must,alas,turn attention to fall and the plants that can survive and thrive in cold. Last week after removing the spent pea vines and freeing up the beds that had been used for garlic and onions,I amended the soil with compost,lightly cultivated the surface and planted seedlings started a few weeks ago in peat pots,including lettuce,bok choy,fennel bulbs and curly endive. Some arugua that went to seed was pulled up and laid over a bare patch of soil to see if it would seed itself. The previous week,in another bed,I direct-seeded some beets and rutabega that are already up. All such diversions from the main business of taking it easy in August,can only be accomplished with hopeful anticipation that a variety of colors,textures and flavors will grace our table well into the fall.  Spring harvested scallions,from bulblets formed by perennial multiplying onions. Scallions or green onions are among the most versatile vegetables one can grow in the garden. And one of the easiest too. We like them grilled whole,cut up and stir fried or minced for garnish,to name just a few uses.  A wide row of onion sets,trenched for scallions. So I was thrilled to find that The Depot in Essex Junction still had a bin full of onion sets. And on sale too. Usually garden centers sell out or possibly throw out the leftover onion sets after the spring planting season ends,so I’m always thrilled to find them for sale anywhere at this time of year,since planting them now will yeild months of good eating in the fall. I planted them this week,in trenches about 1-2 inches deep and close together,single file or in wide rows. Covered them over,watered,and that’s it. Anyone can do it! Don’t even need particularly good soils since much of the energy for the plant is already stored in the bulb. If sets aren’t available,you can can start scallion seeds and I did a month ago and I’ve also used the bulblets that form at the top of perennial multiplying onions that make excellent sets for free. But their productions is fickle and this summer’s bublets are too tiny to produce strong scallions.  Soaking lettuce stems in water to reduce bitterness. On the lettuce front,we’re coming to the end of the spring sown plants and they are starting to bolt,with bitterness increasing daily. I’ve found I can salvage them for salads by soaking the stems in water immediately after cutting the heads and periodically re-cutting the stems. This seems to encourage the bitter,milky juice in the stem to drain out. The whole procedure of draining the stems takes about 4-5 cuts and 15 minutes or so,maybe a little longer if the lettuce is really bitter. I do this while washing them in the sink or in a big bowl. The cut portions of the stems can be a nice crunchy treat,peeled if needed,and by tasting the stems you can gauge how bitter the leaves will be. If the lettuce has already created flowers and the leaves have lost their glossiness, then it’s usually too far gone and best added to the compost bin,and the bed amended with finished compost and replanted for fall greens.  St. Johnswort blossoms along the roadside. St. Johns wort (Hypericum perforatum),was all the rage in the 90′s as a herbal remedy for depression. As is often the case with health fads,people soon lost interest,the effects of this common summer-blooming weed being too subtle for those accustomed to aggressive pharmaceutical solutions. Since then,through my forays into the world of herbal skin care,I’ve gained a high regard for this lowly plant and look forward to its blooming each summer. Infused in extra virgin olive oil,the bright,yellow flowers mysteriously transform the golden liquid into a deep auburn-red. I especially love the way St. Johns wort oil imparts warmth in winter. It envelopes cold,moisture-starved skin like an August heat wave. It feels so good that once experienced,capturing those little yellow flowers and the sunshine they contain becomes a summer foraging priority. To make hypericum oil,fill a jar loosely with flowers,avoiding the green parts and including any plump buds. Then submerge in olive,sweet almond or grape seed oil. Shake the jar well and leave in a sunny windowsill,giving a shake once or twice a day. After about 6 weeks,strain through cheesecloth,and bottle in a sterilized jar and store in a cool dark place. The oil can be used as-is for massage oil,serum or worked into home made lotions,scrubs and salves. Money just can’t buy such a high quality skin care product and one that preserves the essence of summer happiness. But you have to pick and make it yourself to get the maximum therapeutic effect.  Boiling juice first and adding fruit at the end to preserve color,taste and texture of raspberries. Hot,sticky,sweet Jam in July. Raspberries ripen fast in a heat wave,at a rate of 2 quarts a day from my 40′row. With no chest freezer at our house,making jam has proven to be the best “value added”approach to preserving the precious fruit (last seen at $5.50/pint at a local store). We stuff as many berries as we can in Ziploc bags in the refrigeratorfreezer (after freezing them on a cookie sheet in one layer to keep them whole),and invite friends and neighborhs over to pick,but still end up making jam at least two times a week. It’s not my favorite task on a hot day but once in the swing of it,I can process a batch in 30 minutes. A good vent over the stove keeps the kitchen comfortable and I still love the scent of raspberry essence and the jewel red,viscous juice bubbling away. For 8 cups of raspberries I use 4 cups of sugar and one lemon cut in half,seeds removed. Mixed together in a bowl and covered with a clear plastic or other cover, I set it in the sun to macerate for an hour or more,stirring occasionally. The goal is to separate the juice and pectin from the fruit and melt the sugar. This can be done by storing it for several hours in the fridge too,but I like working with a sun-warmed product better than starting the jam chilled. Saves energy too. When the sugar is mostly dissolved, pour just the juice and lemon halves into a wide pan and boil at a fairly high heat,leaving the fruit to drain in a colander set over a bowl. Periodically add the juice collected in the bowl into the boiling jam. When the juice has reached 230 degrees F (thread stage),fold in the fruit and cook it until berries are just cooked and jam is thickened to your liking (usually no more than 5 minutes). Meanwhile, there’s a large pot of water boiling with clean canning jars,sterilizing. I toss the lids in at the end,lift the jars out and fill them with jam, pop the tops on,tighten the rings,then back into the pot to boil for about 10 minutes. Lift them out and let them cool before labeling and storing. Clean up is super easy when all the sticky pots,spoons and bowls are dumped into the sink and the hot canning water is poured over,the mess just melts away.  Open faced sandwich for breakfast. Radish variety - multi-colored "Easter Egg." Stepping out into the garden with a cup of tea this morning to examine the overnight happenings,I found most of my radishes had bolted but a few were still intact and in good condition for fresh eating. This fact,together with the knowledge that a crusty loaf of bread and and a pad of home made butter were up in the kitchen waiting to be used,called for one of the simplest and most delicious seasonal breakfasts – the French radish sandwich. Just slice juicy radishes,not too thin,and place them on buttered bread,sprinkle some sea salt over the radishes and bite into them open faced. Yum. It’s a creamy,crunchy,tasty treat. It may sound bizarre,but trust the French when it comes to food. This is really good. Even radishes that are strong enough to bite you back are somehow tamed by the salt,starch and fat. My first effort at making butter turned out to be a cinch. We recently started getting raw milk from a local dairy and experimenting with making various dairy products. Yesterday’s rainy afternoon was perfect for stirring up a batch of yogurt,mozzarella cheese and butter. After skimming off the cream and bringing it to room temperature,I whipped it in a blender until it thickened beyond the whipped cream stage. Then poured it into a clean jar,covered it, shook the jar hard for a minute,sloshed the liquid gently for another several minutes and voila! Golden yellow butter curds separated from the buttermilk. Strain,wash butter in cold water to remove all buttermilk and chill. Because the deep color of the butter is an indication that the cows were feeding on the tender,vibrantly green grasses and clovers of early summer,I can convince myself that this butter is healthy enough to slather generously! | |
