When I began canning, years ago, I was amazed to find preserving fruits and veggies wasn’t just “pickles and jellies.” In the years since then, I’ve collected and used many recipes stretching from marmalades to desserts!

The conserve is so versatile, one can use it as a spread on your toast in the morning or a topping on your cheesecake after dinner (or, like I prefer, with a little chevre). There are usually a few different flavors “going on” in the jar, regardless of the fruit you’ve used for the conserve.

The deep blue of the blueberry doesn’t allow us to see the lemon and orange rings that are part of the recipe – which is a shame because that makes for a lovely presentation. I’ll get over that though….I have to; there’s only one jar left!

We all have them, to varying degrees. It can be a smell or a sight that conjures up one’s earliest memories. For me, the blooms of chicory and Queen Anne’s lace call up memories of stone bruises, calloused bare feet, scabby knees, popsicle-stained t-shirts, a cane pole, rusty fishhooks, and can of worms.

We had a lake behind our house when I was growing up. It was called a “lake” but to see it now, it’s more like a pond. I spent endless afternoons catching bluegill and the occasional bass out of that lake but had to make my way through a small meadow to get to it.

The stiff chicory always withstood my direct steps and there was nothing else in that whole open “bouquet” that matched that periwinkle blue color. I used to bring mom big handfuls of Queen Anne’s lace which she displayed proudly despite her terrible pollen allergy.

I see the flowers blooming now, in early August, on the sides of roads and in our meadow. Too many people call them “weeds.” Let me just grab my cane pole. I’ll meet you at the lake.

We had an abundance of currants this year–so many that I was able to make both Bar-Le-Duc (currant preserves) and currant jelly.

Bar-Le-Duc is a highly-prized accompaniment but I was surprised to learn that currant jelly is regarded as “lower cost and quality.”

To make a jelly, one must extract the juice and then the juice is combined with other ingredients. No small feat with currants, which are not the juiciest of fruits!

I find the Bar-Le-Duc and the currant jelly very satisfying. Maybe my palate needs an upgrade? I think not. I’ll continue to enjoy them both. Equally.

This very brown pile is responsible for making our corn very happy.

You see, corn requires heavy amounts of nitrogen in order to yield well. The manure/straw bedding that is taken from the sheep stalls is loaded with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium — the main elements essential for healthy plant growth. (Raw manure, containing ammonium-N, which will dissipate when exposed to the heat and air of the outdoors, is applied to the soil early in the Spring.)

The pile in the picture came from one very large stall that wasn’t cleaned along with the others a few months ago—and had over-wintered. David estimated its weight at 4-5 tons! It’s a very difficult job breaking the mass apart in the stalls, separating it into wagon loads and taking it to the compost area away from the barn. And to say the ammonia odor is “strong” is an understatement!! However, the contents are rich in “plant food” and feeds the garden soil that is constantly at work to “feed” and nourish the plants.

The remants of the pile will compost itself and shrink down. We’ll use it in the Fall or even next Spring. Right now? The corn’s pretty happy—if a vegetable can be “happy”.

I thought it would be nice to show a picture of the butternut squashblossoms which are practically at peak color and size right now.

When taking the photo I was met with the most pleasant surprise: bzzzzzzzz.

The entire section of butternut squash, which, at this point in the summer has just about taken over the entire garden, was “buzzing.” I leaned in to hold the giant green leaves aside in order to snap pictures of one of the orange/golden flowers. To my utter surprise and delight, each flower had at least 2 bumblebees inside—and there were so many flowers, I couldn’t count them all?!

As a vegetable gardener, you can be surprised on a daily basis; I can honestly say, I’d never seen (or heard) anything like this in the garden before. It would’ve been so easy to have never noticed this little “dance of nature” going on…but I’m so glad to have stumbled upon it.

[jwplayer image=”https://www.homegrownonahobbyfarm.com/wp-content/uploads/rooster_captures_snack.jpg” file=”https://www.homegrownonahobbyfarm.com/wp-content/uploads/Rooster_Summons_Snack.flv”]
We have a stunning Barred Rock rooster that free-ranges with his “girlfriends” — about 5 or 6 hens. He has learned that, if the mudroom door is open and he sees human movement beyond the screen door, a loud crow of his will be summarily “answered” with a slice of bread. This morning was no different.

We gather more information about lettuce and hydroponics.

Ryan Ehst graciously hosted us one afternoon at his hydroponics farm www.buttervalleyharvest.com and we left with so much footage and information, we had to break the episode into two parts!

Be sure to return for Part Two of our first two-part webisode!