FROM Barb Mann
SO very grateful for the fullness of the past season's harvest and the gifts of the Earth as we head into the Winter Season soon to come. My greatest excitement was in harvesting the Burr Oak Acorns in our backyard collecting a full ice-cream pail full, drying them in the greenhouse, cracking open the shells to harvest the nuts, drying them further in the oven and then grinding them into flour (thanks to a friend well versed in harvesting and processing acorns)! What a thrill to then make an amazing Acorn Bread! That nutty smell of the flour turned into a nutty smelling and tasting bread rich with the goodness of the Burr Oak and Earth!
Our harvest of squash (Spaghetti, Delicata, Butternut, Blue Hokaida, Pie Pumpkin, Sweet Dumpling) have well stocked us for the winter with rich nutrients that will serve our bodies well.
The fruit harvest (black raspberries, black currants, choke cherries, blueberries, apples, grapes from friends) both cultivated and wild was AMAZING this year and I will soon be making jam/jelly from the juices I processed at harvest time.
The abundance of tomatoes (Glacier, Red Barn, Amish Paste) resulted in LOTS of juice, sauce and canned tomatoes for enjoying through the winter and spring to come. And cucumbers were prolific too - I made pickle relish for the first time and it turned out pretty good. I'm still trying to figure out Dill pickles however.
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Dry beans (Arikara, Hidatsu, Calypso-pic, Soy) were significant and will be enjoyed with soups and chilis with gratitude. The rutabagas and turnips were also less abundant though enjoyed in the moment adding flavors to meals. The earlier season greens were enjoyed especially the mustard and arugula that self seeded from last year and popped up with great abundance for adding to salads through the summer.
Planting and harvesting Magic Manna Corn (from Kathy Connel, Wadena) for grinding into flour was interesting as well. The best part was husking the dried ears to be greeted by a
surprise of kernels on the cob from a creamy yellow, to fully mixed reds/yellows/oranges, to a
deep rich maroony red. All the kernels are now harvested off the cobs and ready for grinding into flour. Can't wait to make cornbread with this gift!
New to us was beginning to learn and harvest and appreciate the "Weeds". SO MUCH to learn and appreciate about the abundance that surrounds us if we are open to learning and re-defining our food resources. Dandelion greens, Purslane and Lambs Quarters were this year's learnings. More to come as we learn bit by bit. Spring will bring abundance of learning about Cattails and all they have to offer as we ask to harvest and reap the riches of nutrients within.
I was THRILLED with the Purple Mosaic Garlic harvest back in August (originally purchased from Grandpa G's in Pillager). It's always a thrill as I dug them up one at a time and discover each was just as full, firm and abundant as the one before! I'm grateful!
The Flowers were abundant and as full of surprises too with beauty gracing us all and attracting TONS of pollinators throughout the season. Seeing a broad variety of bees was exciting and encouraging. We had volunteer Sunflowers, White Finch Orlaya-pic, Forget Me Nots, Flamingo Celosia, Nicotania, Bachelor Buttons, Malva Sylvestra, Anise Hyssop, Alyssum along with all those I planted and nurtured. I love them all and have a special affinity for Dahlias. I was very happy with Grandpa Otts Morning Glories this year and our few Lupines, that I'd propogated from seed last year came back! AND bloomed! What a thrill that was as we've not had luck in the past purchasing started plants from nurseries. SO COOL!
And NOW, all is brown and decaying back into the Earth to cycle again into future abundance to appreciate on all levels of our senses. I left more flower seed heads standing in the gardens and have already noticed Chickadees dining on the seeds. And the Piliated Woodpeckers are enjoying the fruit of the flowering crabapples.
As we settle in for the Winter hibernation months, may YOU also continue to feel the joy, beauty, richness of the foods Earth offers for our well-being. Blessings!
(pic - Angels of 7A Dahlias)