Horseradish Harvest. 11.23.17Horse

Horseradish Harvest.  11.23.17

Prepared Horseradish.  11.23.17

I dug and ground some horseradish.  Most of it broke off, so there is more to dig later, and will doubtless grow back anyway.  This was more than enough for enough horseradish sauce to last a few weeks.

Prep is very easy.  Wash off the soil, pare off the skin so the remaining root is pure white.   Cut into chunks.  Chop in food processor to tiny chunks but not pureed.  Drop into jar with vinegar.  I used white vinegar.  Store in fridge.  Don't sniff too aggressively - this stuff is potent!

I did re-plant some of the smaller roots, in a different raised bed, for easy harvest next year.

Chickens liked eating the leaves.  They ate every scrap of horseradish leaf, that I gave them.  I sniffed the leaves, and they didn't seem potent like the root.

A nice big chunk of horseradish, ready to chop.   11.23.17

Blackberries trellised, penned, and ready for winter. 11.23.17

These are the main blackberry bed now.  I built the trellises using logs salvaged from fallen trees, last year, and bamboo poles from our stand of bamboo.   I like the rigid cross beams, instead of wire or string, because rather then pulling inward, they provide some strength.

There is also a small fig tree in the blackberry garden.  I thought that tree was killed last winter, and just hadn't gotten around to removing it yet.  Smith fig.  If it doesn't bear next year, I might remove it anyway.  That's 5 years with less than 1 fig per year, so far.  I think Smith needs a hotter summer.  The origin is Louisiana.

The deer fencing is a recurring theme here.  Not much I can do about that, unless someone gets a permit to harvest the deer.  Might not be possible or safe in a neighborhood, however rural, with children and other people around.

The blackberry garden is completed for winter and beyond.  All I can think of as needed now is dormant pruning, and provide a bird net, next summer.

Prime Ark Freedom seems to have no sense of season.  It's still blooming.  If there is no true dormancy, that doesn't seem good for winter.  However, survival was sufficient last winter to provide a taste.  They are excellent, delicious, sweet, huge berries.  Since we are going into this winter with bigger, more established plants, they might survive better than they did last winter.

This is my first try with Arapaho and Triple Crown.  If Prime Ark Freedom isn't suitable, maybe they will be.

Mushrooms I Won't Touch! 11.23.2017

I'm guessing these are Amanita muscaria.  Regardless, we won't try eating them.  But nice to look at.  

Young Chestnut Tree Follow-up. 10.31.17

Grafted Maravale.  10.17.17

Grafted Maravale.  10.17.17

Grafted Marigoule.  10.17.17

 I have the chestnut trees tucked in for the fall/winter, with an arborist chip mulch and good fencing.  The fencing is a double layer, 5 feet tall, welded steel 4 inch by 2 inch mesh, with fine pastic net 1 inch by 1 inch mesh so the deer can't pull the leaves and branches through the stronger but larger mesh.  If they grow as well next year, as they did this year, they should only need the fence for another year, maybe two.

I'm being extra diligent because deer are becoming a bigger problem - increased population, fewer food sources, no predators, no hunting in my area.

There was a big difference in vigor and establishment.  Two grew about 3 or 3 1/2 feet, one grew a few inches.  That was Marigoule.  I moved it to a different spot, where it doesn't matter as much if it flourishes.  I have an order in for a replacement in the spot where it was.  That is already set up with fencing as well.

Seedling of Marissard.   10.15.17

Planted Garlic. 10.17.17

Today I planted garlic.  Three rows from my own harvested garlic, I think German Red.  Four rows of this Duganski from Territorial.  I also bought another type from Territorial, but the cloves were soft and shriveled.  I don't know if they are worth planting, or could have a disease.  I may try those in an unused raised bed, not anticipating planting onion family in that bed so maybe it would be worth a try.