Cherry Crisp

This is the recipe I used for Cherry Crisp using tart pie cherries from the North Star Cherry tree.

All along the plan was to make a cherry pie and be nostalgic about my late mom's cherry pie.  I'm too tired to make the pie.  Crisp is easier.  This was internet recipe.  I changed some ingredients.  Replaced shortening with butter.  Added vanilla.  I might have added almond flavoring but wanted to see how much the cherries tasted like cherries.

Cherry Filling
4 to 5 cups pitted sour cherries - I used 5 cups.  Cherry pitter worked great.
1 1/2 cups white sugar - seems like a lot, but that's what I did
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Topping
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter

Preheat oven to 375F.

Sprinkle vanilla extract over cherries and stir to mix.  Combine cherries, 1 1/2 cups white sugar, and 4 tbsp flour. Pour fruit filling into 9x13 inch baking dish.

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, oats, and brown sugar. Cut in butter and shortening until crumbly.  Except I softened the butter, and it was difficult to make it crumbly.  It was more on the chunky side.   Almost a cookie dough.

I did my best to crumble it with my fingers and distribute the crumbs uniformly over the cherries.

Bake in preheated oven for 45  minutes until topping is golden brown.

It's in the oven now.  I'll edit this post when it's out.  And say how it tastes.  I proud of this.  It's the first thing I've baked from this cherry tree, which I grew from a small sapling.  In terms of slow food, that's about as slow as it gets.

Kitchen Garden

 Today was too hot to do anything.  Plus I felt sick.  But I did plant the beans I started 2 weeks ago.  These are Ning's Chinese pole beans.   Other than that I don't know what kind.

Starting them in containers work'ed nicely.  There were 10 containers, each with 2 or 3 plants.  I planted them were I dug up the onions.  Watered well.  Kept the straw mulch in place.

I didn't have the energy to build a rabbit/deer cage so they have a temporary chicken wire cage.  Might work.  Might not.

Also planted seedlings of the "Minnesota Midget" Cantaloupe.

 Nice roots on these beans.  Not too rootbound.

 The White Potato multiplier onions are the biggest I've grown.  All were the same size, both the first bed planted in September and the second planted in November.  I think - need to check back in this blog.

 The onions and German Porcelain garlic are drying in single layers in cardboard boxes in garage.  I didn't want to cook them in the sun.

There were also a couple of nice looking turnips.  First time I grew these.

June, July, August - Pollen and Nectar Plants for Honeybees, Pacific Northwest and my Apiary garden.

Working on plants to encourage and feed honeybees for the apiary garden.  Some parts of year are covered - in Spring, Acer (maple)  flowers are plentiful, other spring-blooming trees, shrubs and flowers.

For early Spring, we've planted a hedge of pussy willow.  That may be too early to benefit honeybees, due to cold.  But it needed, it's there.

Following Acer, are fruit trees and Buckeye.  Then there is a dearth of pollen and nectar.

From list of "Main Honey Plants in Pacific Northwest" for June, July, August:

June

Thistle - Noxious weed.  There are some around, but I wouldn't plant more.

Cascara - had to look these up.  I think there is one large cascara shrub on the Battleground property, but only one.  There are semi-wild areas, may be some there.

White Clover. via commons.wikimedia.org

White Clover = pollen and nectar.  In bloom now.  I've planted quite a lot of white clover seeds.  It is in bloom now.

Snowberry = haven't seen much around the area.

Red Clover.  via commons.wikimedia.org

Red Clover - pollen and nectar.  There is some of this blooming.

Wildflowers - Ning's wildflower meadow is looking nice, in bloom.  Still a lot of grass.  No sure how to remove the grass.


July

Fireweed.  via commons.wikimedia.org

Fireweed - no pollen, variable nectar


White Clover - pollen and nectar

Blackberry flower.  via commons.wikimedia.org

Blackberry - Considered a noxious weed but so ubiquitous, might as well be native.  Plentiful on our property as well as in the area.  I might remove some this fall and winter, and replace with raspberries which are also good honeybee forage and not as invasive.  I have lots of raspberry plants, I can move here.

Red Clover- There are some blooming now.  Also crimson clover, I planted last winter and spring.  I don't see bees foraging on either, at this time.


August
Fireweed - no pollen, variable nectar - not sure why this is listed.  I've seem some blooming around the area.
Red Clover - pollen and nectar

Mint flower.  via commons.wikimedia.org

 Mint - pollen and nectar

September
Mint - pollen and nectar
Sage - pollen and nectar - we have some sage that just finished blooming.  Interesting.

Also from wikipedia., list of plants listed as bee friendly, I've added-
Clovers - last fall winter and spring, I sowed white clover, red clover, crimson clover, and blue clover seeds.  It looks like white clover took nicely, growing throughout the lawn, especially compacted and poorly fertile areas.  Some of the crimson clover is blooming now as well.  I also included clovers in Ning's wildflower meadow mix.
Ceanothus - these shrubs will require a few years, before they make significant bee forage.  They are quite beautiful, and contribute nicely to the landscape.
Buddleia - B. davidii is a noxious weed.  There are other, acceptable, cultivars which are see-sterile, so not invasive.  They are patented, so it takes some investment.  I added about a dozen plants.  They are growing rapidly.  Some varieties - "Miss Molly" and "Miss Ruby" are among the few plants blooming now.  .Most of the plants are small this year, but have put on about 18 in since planting in winter and spring.  I think next year they'll have enough flowers to add significantly to the bee forage.  I can't find info about whether Buddleia is, or can be, significant for bee forage.  Some gardeners who want to encourage butterflies, love these plants.  Others hate them because they are invasive and non-native.  I'm sticking with the noninvasive ones.  I haven't seen many bees on the flowers yet.  This is one of the few plants that is blooming significantly, now.
Thyme - Planted among irises.  not enough to be significant, but bees covered the flowers last month.
Lavender - This week I bought a blooming-sized 1/2-gallon "Goodwin Creek Gray"  As soon as I sat the plant down, bees were on the flowers.  Only a few are open.  I can see lavender being a significant forage plant, if I can add enough plants.

Caryopteris X clantondenis via commons.wikimedia.org

Bluebeard - Caryopteris "Blue Mist" - bought a 1/2-gallon in bud this  week.  It's hot and dry outside, but this is a dry-tolerant plant.  I think it will be OK.  I watered thoroughly and mulched with a deep layer of grass straw.
Pussy willow - Ning planted a hedge of truncheon cuttings in March, and all of them took.  Won't be much bee forage next spring, but there is potential for the following winter.
Garlic Chives, Chives - Not enough to contribute significantly, but the flowers are always covered with bees.
Rosemary - small amount.
Basswood - doubt there will be enough to contribute to bee forage, for several years.  Have to start somewhere.
Plum - as these trees mature, they will contribute.  Will take a while.
Sumac - just a seedling.
Apple - Pear - As for the other trees.
Mint - We have some areas where it's OK for mint and lemon balm to be invasive.
Lemon Balm - ditto.  I moved about a dozen plants from the Vancouver place.  I'm thinking the orchard will have mint and lemon balm tree surrounds.  And Oregano. 
Blueberry - There is one large shrub.  We added 5 new small ones.

Borage, via commons.wikimedia.org

Borage - started some seeds late this spring.  One packet.  Only a few seeds germinated, and rabbits or deer ate some of the leaves.  Still, looks like it's going to take.  This was an experiment.  These would be nice to include in a border or wildflower meadow.  It's hard to find borage plants at the nursery, or borage seeds, but apparently once they bloom, they scatter seeds and volunteers come up all around.

Others we have in multitude

Dandelion - a major bee forage plant.
Henbit - blooms early spring.
Cherries - big cherry trees, and new small ones.
Maple - Majestic trees in the area.
Wild Carrot - these should start blooming in August.
Buckeye - one mature tree.  It was covered with flowers - should make for a lot of forage in the space of one tree.
California Poppy - mostly from seeds I planted.

Kaki Persimmons

Mu Qi "Six Persimmons" (via commons.wikimedia.org)

Japanese Persimmon (commons.wikimedia.org)

Some background on persimmons.

from wikipedia:
Persimmons are Diospyros, meaning  divine fruit or "wheat of Zeus".    American persimmons are Diospyros virginana, while Asian persimmons are Diospyros kaki.

There are other species, including Diospyros lotus which is the rootstock for my two young persimmon starts.

American persimmon fruits are small, and American persimmon trees grow large.  Most are either male or female.  The variety "Meader" is a self fertile female.  Most others require a male pollinator.   When it comes to ripening, American persimmons are astringent to the point of being completely inedible, until fully ripe.  Then they lose astringency and have a rich, unique, tropical sweet flavor.

Ripe Kaki Persimmon (commons.wikimedia.org)

American Persimmon flower (commons.wikimedia.org)

 Asian, or Kaki persimmons are more complicated.  Apparently they also started out as small fruits that occurred only on female trees, requiring pollination.  But with culturing over the centuries, mutants occurred and were developed into several classes of persimmons - some are different when pollinated, and for some pollination has no effect.  Some are edible when crisp and under ripe - "nonastringent".  Others are very astringent until fully ripe, then are very sweet and delicious.

When the calix can be easily pulled out, that's a sign the persimmon is fully ripened. 

Some interesting folklore from the wikipedia article:   "painting of persimmons by Mu Qi (13th Century) exemplifies the progression from youth to age as a symbol of the progression from bitterness to sweetness... when young is bitter and inedible, but as it ages it becomes sweet and beneficial to humankind. Thus, as we age, we overcome rigidity and prejudice and attain compassion and sweetness."

Kaki persimmon (vintageprintable.com)

I planted 2 bare-root persimmon trees earlier this year.  One is "Seijo", which according to Raintree Nursery is one of the best flavored, and has the advantage of being the only Kaki to ripen at the Raintree nursery in Morton WA.  They may be a bit cooler than here, so maybe it will do well for me.

The second is hybrid between Diospyros virginana and Diospyros kaki, developed in Ukraine.  That "Nikita's gift", apparently, is 1/4 American persimmon and 3/4 Kaki.  I could not find ripening info.  In theory, the American genetics provides a richer flavor, more hardiness, and the Kaki genetics provides self-fertility, smaller size tree, and larger fruit.

Both are growing, slowly.  The first year the challenge is to get the roots established.  Toward that aim, they are mulched.  It's been rainy so I have not been watering them, but plan to if there is no rain for one week duration.  Both have a little growth.  The Seijo was larger at the start, and has more growth, compared to Nikita's Gift.  Neither tree looks very enthusiastic.  There is room for them so not uch lost if I never get to sample the fruit.  But I would like to get a taste, some day.

According to the Purdue horticulture site,  Persimmons were originally found in Manchuria, south to Kwangtung.  Marco Polo commented on Persimmons after visiting China in the 14th century.   In 1870, grafted Kaki persimmon trees were imported to the California and the US South, from China.   WA state is not listed on the Purdue site as a place where persimmons grow, but Oregon is.  Also some northern states, such as Michigan and New York.

Kaki persimmin (vintageprintable.com)

The Purdue site gives range of 3 to 4 years for some varieties to start fruiting, and others 5-6 years.   So it may be a while.

According to chestnuthilltreefarm.com, the original Seijo tree is more than 600 years old.  So it's a heritage variety.

Fig Trees at Battleground

Sal's Fig

Truncheon Cutting.  Lattarula.

Petite negri

Vancouver Brunswick tree was already discussed this week. Sal's Fig is about waist high.  The newest leaves are full size and without distortion.  The older leaves were distorted.  Possibly a late frost effect.  There are fig buds so maybe this will produce some figs this fall.

Late winter I planted 4 truncheon cuttings from my Lattarula tree.  A truncheon cutting is a large stick cut from the tree, and stuck into the ground.  These were 2 feet long, 1/2 inch thick.  I stuck them into the wet ground about 1 foot deep. Did not expect growth.  Today I was mowing and saw these two growing.    It will be interesting to see if they establish, grow some more this summer, and survive next winter.  I'm not concerned about them.  I already have a nice Lattarula started from cutting, much bigger than these, in a container.  Lattarula is vigorous, so these cuttings could do well.

Petite negri.  As for the Sal's fig, the newestt leaves are not distorted.  This tree may get off to a slow start, same as its parent tree did, years ago.  This is a slow growing variety.

Apiary. Painted Top Bar Hive #2

Kenyan Top Bar Hive #2

Second top bar hive almost ready to set up.  This one had some QA issues - the hive body was slightly too large for the lid.  After putting it together, I had to take it back apart.  Cut the sides about 1/8 inch shorter, chisel the edges to fit, put back together.  Now it works.

Aspects of this design that I like:  The copper roof.  The cross bar legs, more stable appearing, compared to the legs on most top bar kits.  The window.  I look into the hive a lot.  

Tuesday painted a coat of primer. Today painted a coat of outdoor Latex.  When dry I'll un-tape the copper roof and window, install the window cover and roof.  And it will be ready to use.

Not the right time of year to get bees.  That's OK.  It will be fully dry, and then some, and ready for spring.  No rush.  No stress. 

The site needs to be set up.  That will take some more effort.

Cherries and Berries.

Surefire Cherry

Surefire tart cherries

This was a good day for fruit.  Sweet cherries, tart cherries, raspberries, and strawberries.

Sweet cherries tart cherries, strawberries, raspberries.

Brugmansia cutting

Brugmansia cutting

Brugmansia new roots

 Not sure when I started this Brugmansia cutting.  It was mailed by a fellow gardener.  Started in a glass of water - maybe 3 weeks.  Changed water daily.  When roots were about one mm long, transferred to juice can / potting soil.  That was about 2 weeks.  Now roots peeking through holes drilled in bottom of juice can, so potted up.  Growing fast.  I won't predict whether it will bloom this year.

Brugmansia potted up

When I am an old man...

When I am an old man...
I will be surprised I made it that far.  If I do.
It's not that far away.
There's a good chance, I won't.
I will consider it funny to have aches and pains.
I already do.
I will not whine about being old.
Or apologize for aging.
I will consider it honorable and amazing.
I will laugh at myself for being funny looking, and bald, and having ears that stick out.
I already do.
I will be proud of my past.
I did a lot, against great odds.
And against fierce opposition.
I will be skinny and awkward, like when I was a teenager.
Only with more wrinkles.
I will smile a lot.
Or not.
I won't say much.
When I do speak, I will say thoughtful words.
I will bake sourdough bread.
And home made pies.
And make cornbread, and tamales.

I will putter in the garden among the bees and hens.
I already do.
And grow pole beans and zucchinis.
And grapes, and figs, and peaches.
From my beehives, I will give packages of fresh honey, to nice people.

My curses will be colorful and complex.
And used sparingly.
And aimed at the self-righteous self-important, and smug.
And greedy.
I will learn Spanish.
I will not consider it an insult to say "old".
Don't whisper "old", or use euphemisms.
Dammit.
I will consider "old" an honorific, respectful, and esteemed.
I will stand proud and crooked.
Like a beautiful, ancient, wizened bristlecone pine.
I will growl like an old lion.
I will tell people what I think.
If I like them.
If I don't, they aren't worth my effort.
My favorite shirt will be an old flannel shirt, from Goodwill or a yard sale.
I will wear it everywhere.
My favorite hat will be a cap I already wear.
It will be frayed and stained.
I will wear it everywhere.
My favorite trousers will be an old pair of khakis with side pockets for pruning shears and a pocket knife.
I will wear them everywhere.
I will grow the best tomatoes in the neighborhood.
I will tell young people, stories they didn't know.
About wars they never heard of.
And great minds no one told them about.
I might make them up.
Or not.
No one could make up a past, as interesting, as the real past.
I will quote Robert Green Ingersoll.
And Samuel Clemens.
My loyal dog will always be by my side.
He will roll in the grass and be covered in dust.

Nagami Kumquat

Kumquot Illustration 1906

 Kumquots are citrus-like small fruits.  They may be classified as citrus or as Fortunella margarita. 

Via Monrovia, Kumquots are native to China.  Small tree, fruit with thin sweet rind and sour juicy flesh. 

Kumquat flowers

Last year, I bought a 1 foot tall Nagami kumquot and kept it on the deck.  If I remember correctly it did have some fruit at the time.  I don't know why I didn't taste them.  It overwintered OK indoors.  Now it's on the deck at the Battleground place.  It did not look enthusiastic this Spring.  About 2 weeks ago I repotted it into a larger, wooden container, watered, and am feeding with a diluted acid-loving plant fertilizer.  1/4 teaspoon per gallon, same as for Meyer Lemon.

Via Wikipedia, Kumquats are Citrus japopica "margarita": or Fortunella japonica.  They are more cold tolerant than most citrus, survive down to 18F. 

The flowers are small and fragrant, similar to other citrus.  The trees bloom in late Spring and the fruit matures in early fall. 

Kumquat at Corfu

From the Purdue horticulture website, Kumquats were mentioned in Chinese literature in 1178 AD and in Western literature in 1646.  Nagami was introduced to London in 1846. 

For growth in containers, Kumquats need to be on dwarfing rootstock (trifoliate orange, Poncirus trifoliata, flying dragon), not rootbound, and have regular watering and feeding.  I did let mine dry out rather badly last winter, and it survived.

Via gardening.ktsa.com,  Kumquats are later blooming than other citrus.  The fruit is aromatic and spicy.  The fruit matures in November.

From greenzonelife.com, kumquats grow poorly on their own roots.  Kumquat dormancy is profound, and they break dormancy later than other citrus. 

All photos here are cropped from photos on commons.wikimedia.org.