Saturday, October 16, 2021

Figs and Nuts

 
Fall is definitely here. This weekend is calling for night time lows in the upper 30's for the first time this season. We are still waiting for first frost. 

The week has been filled with pruning as I have started cutting back gooseberry bushes and burning the prunings. They do not go into compost because many have thorns. 

The asparagus has been cut to the ground and a layer of compost about 2 inches deep layered over the top.  Leaves have begun to fall and will be chopped up to become yet more compost additions to piles. This time of year compost piles pop up anywhere I can squeeze them in and turning them becomes quite a morning chore. 

I continue to dig and move blackberry sprouts and transplanting them down the back fence now. 

Added to my chores I have spent all week picking up hickory nuts out of the yard and off decks from the 4 mature hickory nut trees on the property. With the storms last night I have a whole new layer this morning. I prefer to pick them up because they become missiles when picked up by the mower to go through windows and dent vehicles. I also do not want them in my compost piles to have to fight baby hickory nut trees for life in the beds. Walking on them on decks and sidewalks is like walking on ball bearings so I choose to pick them up and burn them every year. Some years are worse than others. This year they were over achievers with a massive harvest. I guess there is an appropriate reason the property is called Hickery Holler. 


The figs are also ripening and the dehydrator has been running regularly keeping up with the fig harvest. Since I still have fig preserves from last year I decided to just slice and dehydrate this years and are they good. Just sliced or quartered and dehydrated with no prep of any kind they are super simple. They make a great treat out of hand and are addictive but would also be good thrown into oatmeal. 

O Wise One has been picking up walnuts to crack for the freezer also. We love walnuts added to the top of our oatmeal and we also make a trail mix with toasted oats, walnuts and raisins for a snack food. Walnuts are super good for your heart in moderation although they can be high in fat. I also add them to baked goods. Expensive to buy they are plentiful in the area and ours come from a neighbors yard that does not eat them. We pick them up and crack and shell them and usually share them with the neighbor when done. With the prices going up in the supermarket and shortages becoming more common we are especially thankful for our foraged items. 

O Wise One continues to recover from Covid. He is improving though it is taking time. Even with the vaccine it tends to want to linger. I have been giving him elderberry tea everyday to help boost his immune system. I managed to not get it. How I will never know. Too ornery maybe! I won't lie though that it was tough there for a bit doing both our chores and I am wore out. 

All of you out there stay safe. 


Blessings from The Holler

CQ

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I can also be found at

https://thebackfence.freeforums.net/


4 comments:

  1. Oh no, I am so sorry that he has Covid! I hope you stay healthy. I feel like I read somewhere that you should not take elderberry if you have Covid, but that could be old info.

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    Replies
    1. Yeah although I am really not sure how! We have not been anywhere hardly but obviously he went somewhere and picked it up. Maybe at the gas station when he filled the cars up. He is doing better now but it is somewhat lingering with the cough and congestion. He had a couple rough days though. I can't imagine how bad it would have been had he not had a vaccine. When you are in your 70's everything is serious.

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  2. What variety of fig is ripening this late?

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