Homestead mailing list

["Marie McHarry" <mmcharry AT dtnspeed.net>]

<<So, how's your weather.  I am soooo tired of weird weather this year.  We 
had sooooo much rain that we thought we'd float away and get a free vacation

trip to Hawaii.  Then we had snow for Easter.  Next was instant summer with 
temps in the 80s and 90s.  Now we have cold and rain.>>

This weekend has been perfect: 70s, little to no wind, blue skies. Of
course, now I begin to worry that this is the beginning of a drought.
Nevermind that the last month or so has been rainy (and the last 10 days
relatively cold and rainy) -- that's what's happened in recent years. Some
years it's rained too much to plant a garden, and then the rain just stops.

<<Hey, but for some strange reason the fruit trees and grapes are loving it.

Go figure!>>

My old apple trees have set lots of fruit. The new ones are blooming. Should
I guess I should pluck the blooms off this year? Or at least most of them?

<<There's a whole stand of wild crab apples on the road into town and they 
look like they are going to be a gold mine this year.  The kidlet and I have

checked all the jars and are ready and waiting for jelly time.>>

Back when I was a kidlet myself, my mom and I would pick enough blackberries
and raspberries that grew wild to keep us in all the fresh fruit *and* jam
as we wanted. All these efficient farmers have removed all those bushes, so
now I've spent the weekend planting my own.

<<Has anyone made rose hip tea?  We also found a whole stand of rosa 
californica.  What's the best way to cure the hips.  I know the seeds can be

a problem because of the "fur.">>

No rose hips here, but I have chamomile all over the place. Not that that
helps you with the rose hips. Wouldn't the usual drying procedure work with
the rose hips?

Marie