Wine country crops

In which the gardners plant a lot and learn even more at 1,500 feet in the Sierra foothills
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2011 (8)
2010 (19)
2009 (27)
 

Redwing's first honey of 2011

We opened a hive at Redwing Ranch today to check on colony health and took one small comb of honey to sample, the first of this season.

It looks great and, so far, tastes good too. The colony seemed vigorous, although largely dormant on a cool December day. We've been worried because we unknowingly located the hives near a buckeye tree, which is generally said to be bad news for bee colonies. 

These have been there for a year and seem abundant and healthy. We'll probably move them anyhow this season. There's no good reason not to (except for my fear) and we have other good spots.

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Posted by Howard Weaver 
 

Even a modest harvest is satisfying

Gabriella is here to help around the ranch for a few days and started by gathering the apples and jujube fruit (Chinese dates, a species of Ziziphus) that were ready.

It's been a tough year for both fruit and olives here. Next year will be better.

Dispatches from the battlefields & barrooms
of The Great Alaska Newspaper War

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Posted by Howard Weaver 
 

A bounty of chilies

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Thank God for the chili pepper harvest, which will be the most productive crop at Redwing Ranch this fall.

The whole kitchen garden has done well, and our apples and jujube fruit (Chinese dates) are producing. But stone fruits and cherries are sparse to absent after the strange spring weather (late rains, hail, chill). Our mature olive trees (our big producers) are still recovering from the olive knot that came in on something from the nursery last winter and are not setting much fruit. (Thank God they are recovering, though).

But the chills Barb tried for the first time this year are happy, abundant and delicious. Pictured here, clockwise from the top right, are  jalapeños, Anchos, Garden Salsas and Joe E. Parkers. The super abundant Garden Salsas were an incidental purchase at a hardware store one day but have been both the best producers and are particularly hot and tasty. 

The Joe E. Parkers were ordered from the University of New Mexico and have been a successful pioneer crop that will no doubt encourage us to extend the New Mexico stock next year.

Posted by Howard Weaver 
 

It turns out New Mexico chilies grow well at Redwing Ranch

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Barb ordered an assortment of chili seeds from the University of New Mexico and thus far they've done splendidly in the kitchen garden at Redwing Ranch. There are several varieties here which I am unable to differentiate — though I have no trouble with the tastes,

Posted by Howard Weaver 
 

Peppers, for the first time

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We haven't grown peppers before but this year Barb tried a selection, including several varietals we have learned to love on trips to New Mexico.

They are just coming ripe, but so far our experience is very good.

Posted by Howard Weaver 
 

No wonder the food tastes so good around here

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The kitchen herb collection at redwing includes parsley, cilantro, marjoram, sage, tarragon, chives and basil. And probably some others I don't recognize.

Posted by Howard Weaver 
 

Tomato time at the Redwing gardens

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Days have warmed and Barb grows restless: this is one result. She planted about a half-dozen varieties of tomatoes this week. There are beans and lettuce in the ground already, too, with melons, peppers and other vegetables yet to come.

She's also been busy with weeding, mowing, spraying and irrigation repairs. Old pals Craig and Suzanne Goodrich from Alaska and brother David from Hawaii were here for a week and proved yeomen field hands. Barb thinks we're in pretty good shape for the coming season.

There's some peach leaf curl in the orchard despite asiduous application of copper this winter. I'm hope for those trees anyhow, and the rest of the fruit looks mighty promising.

Farmers, of course, know better than to hope for too much.

Posted by Howard Weaver 
 

Fruit (juice) of the vine

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All that grape gleaning we did last week has already paid off: here are some of the quarts of grape juice we now have on hand to bring a splsh of autumn warmth to winter meals.

Posted by Howard Weaver 
 

This is our season for grape gleaning

Our neighbor at CG DiArie Winery makes fine wine, much of it based on Zinfandel grapes. He's very selective, which means they leave a fair number of grapes on the vine after harvest. (Barb says you really ought to try their wines.)

Last year we asked if we could glean amongst the leftovers, which they happily let us do. We made grape juice from about 20 gallons of picked grapes, and it was so good we're being somewhat more ambitious this season. 

For a boy who grew up picking berries in Alaska (and trying to get out of it), picking grapes seems astonishingly bountiful. Your bucket is full before you know. There's more work after we get them home, of course, to carefully render juice and can it safely. But the juice lasts all year and is always a reminder of the fall harvest.

One issue when picking: you have to keep the help from eating too many at the site. These are Primitivo grapes, the father of all Zinfandel grapes. They're known as a "sun kissed" varietal and like the hot, sunny summers here in the Sierra foothills.

And yes, they're very good (though seedy) eaten out of hand.

(The painting included with photos below is The Gleaners, by Jean-François Millet, 1857

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Posted by Howard Weaver 
 

Oh, my little honey bees

With the help of Steve White, an experienced beekeeper, we pulled two combs from our hive today and have started the process of clarifying the honey. It's gorgeous.

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Posted by Howard Weaver