permaculture

[dwoodard@becon.org]

Apple butter and apple syrup are time-tested. I gather that not all apples
are really good for the purpose. I have read that the old (large and
fairly hardy) New England apple Pumpkin Sweet was and is favoured for the
purpose. I gather that it's one of the "sweet apples" like Tolman Sweet
which have no detectable tartness in the flavour. Pumpkin Sweet is still
available from specialist nurseries.

I have encountered some suggestions in old books that the "sweet
apples" were favoured for livestock feed.

Liquid is not really needed to my way of thinking. I like fruit sauces as
a substitute for syrup.

Chop up prune plums or peeled peaches, cook till mushy, 1/8 cup
sugar and 1/8 cup lemon juice per cup of fruit. I would guess that the
juice of tart crabapples ("verjuice") could replace lemon juice.
This freezes well, or could be canned.

Peach skins are easily loosened by dipping the peaches for a minute or
more in boiling water; then cold water before peeling for the sake of your
fingers.

I liked "Vanity" peaches (a freestone cultivar for the Vineland, Ontario
station) for its flavour and colour, although it's not the easiest to
grow; needing good soil and good care; more susceptible to brown rot than
some but not too bad. It's about as cold-hardy as Redhaven but probably
hard to get in the States. Madison seems to be  well liked for home
canning and should suit.

I usually used Stanley or Italian prunes for the plum sauce. Stanley
is very prone to black knot and I would suggest Mount Royal for home
growers who want a European prune-type plum in well-watered areas. It's
about as cold-hardy as McIntosh apple.

Apricots would be nice where soil, climate and situation suit; there are
cultivars which grow in the southern Canadian prairies.

Doug Woodard
St. Catharines, Ontario


On Thu, 14 Apr 2005, Sean Maley wrote:

> I found Tulip Poplar to be tasty too.  Kind of a
> flowery maple like flavor.  You can get some from
> Lehmans to see if you want to try it.
>
>
>
> --- Lisa Rollens <rollens@fidnet.com> wrote:
> > Sycamores can be tapped too.  I think I read that
> > years ago in Euell Gibbons
> > book???  Also, long ago in Mother Earth News they
> > had an article about
> > making syrup from watermelons...about 17 large
> > melons make a gallon.  Same
> > technique...smash the pulp of the melons, strain and
> > boil down to syrup.
> > I've always been wanting to try that, but haven't
> > had a chance yet....
> >
> > Lisa, in the Ozarks, US