What's happening today 2020

I have WAY too many strawberries! And more coming in every day

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a good problem to have! i soon will have the same problem here.

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I need to get a food mill one of these days. I have found that a colander and a rubber spatula (to push the pulp through) makes a reasonable substitute for small batches, but I’ve got my sights on larger quantites of jam in the future.

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On the topic of currants, how to tell if they are ripe? The Crandall bushes I planted this year had a few berries that turned black (dark purple on close inspection). These are supposed to be (at least mildly) sweet. The couple I tried had a strong astringent taste. Both the fruits came from two different plants from different sources, so it can’t be that I have the wrong variety. It’s possible I picked them early or the plant is too young, but if this is the actual taste of the currant, I should try my hand at making jam (not enough for this season). I can see it giving some body to the jam along with other berries.

Are those two “cling” or “freestone”?

There are two that I have, the oxo and the Miller. Both are very good and each come with three different sized discs. The miller is less expensive. Mrs. G

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My mystery peach I would call a semi-cling. It will sort of pull away from the pit with some effort. Its also a little sweeter than the other. Sadly, its a very old tree and in bad shape and can’t have much time left. I’ve repeatedly tried to graft it but I just can’t for the life of me get it to take- I have a very hard time with peach grafting. I’m going to try bud grafting this fall.

Florida King is definitely cling. Its mostly solid red and a little larger fruit, but isn’t nearly as sweet as later peaches. But as I said, just getting peaches so early is a lot of fun and helps hold me over until the really good ones come in!

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Man, that REALLY looks like a great breakfast Jim!!! And such nice berries. But curiosity is bugging me…what it that good looking stuff that is lowest on the plate? I’ve looked close several times and sometimes I think it is cut up sausages of some kind, then I think it is red-skinned, home fried potatoes, or maybe even small red onions. Inquiring minds want to know…what is that!!! What is funny is no matter what it is I can tell I would like it because I’m pretty sure it was fried! ha. I’m pretty sure the other thing is quiche, right? Boy it sure looks good.

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The things on the bottom are French Breakfast radishes. I cut them up and pan fry with butter, salt, and dill. They are really, really good with a mild radish flavor and the butter makes them almost creamy. The quiche is from our eggs with the end of the spinach, which I pulled when they started to bolt.

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I actually almost guessed radishes- really did think it looked like that- but actually I’d never heard of pan frying radishes. That being said, I have no doubt I’d like them cooked as you described. Just a great breakfast all the way around!

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i let mine hang until they just start to soften. usually by then they won’t get any sweeter . for my true black currants i let them hang until they start too wrinkle. I’m processing them anyway and at that stage its about as good as they’ll get. its also usually hot and dry by early august when they finish ripening.

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A couple years ago when I received my indar brown rot was just setting in. It stop it but the ones that had started to get it never recovered. Indar works great. I haven’t had brown rot since. I spray it early and then again just before the blossoms open. Then I spray again with triazicide just after the apple blossoms fall. That kills the pc too. I have used imidian also for pc. That works great but is dangerous for home orchards with pets.

We got a new puppy. Hopefully she will keep some of the critters at bay.

She is a bull mastiff. 7 1/2 weeks 17 lbs.

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She’ll be big!

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She’ll get whatever she wants !

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Nice dog, congratulations! So, what’s her name?

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We got her for our 13 year old and he named her Rose

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She is a cutie! She also looks like she means business.

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Cicadas are hatching. They Say this is Brood XIII hatching 4 years early. Big racket out there right before the rain.

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Of course it’s 2020, right?

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