Hiya, Rural Sprout readers, I sure hope you’re all staying cool. This heat is crazy. Don’t forget to stay
hydrated! I made a two-gallon batch of cherry limeade this week and put it in the fridge in my big beverage dispenser with the spigot. I used the last of my homemade cherry syrup made from local cherries and added lots of fresh-squeezed lime juice. (My arms are tired now.) Let me get you a glass, and we’ll hide from the heat. I have to say this weather has me torn. On the one hand, my poor garden
doesn’t know what to do. It seems like everything just grew and grew and grew, and then someone hit pause on the entire thing as soon as the heat spiked. On the other hand, we’ve still been getting rain every day or every other day. And with the heat and the rain, the mushrooms are popping up everywhere. I have been finding chanterelles and black trumpets every time I go out to the woods. And what a year for boletes! This mushroom-loving
forager is one happy (and disgustingly sweaty) lady. Rarely a meal goes by that I don’t have wild-foraged mushrooms. It’s been a great season for wild berries,
too. The black raspberries were the plumpest I’ve seen in ages, and the wineberries were everywhere. Each year I would vow to pick enough berries to make a big batch of jam. But I was either too busy, or the berries weren’t as plentiful. I finally got smart this year and
picked enough. Yup, when the wineberries were perfectly ripe, I picked enough to get myself a good sunburn and make two little 4oz jars of jam. Like I said,
I picked enough. Rather than missing out because I couldn’t pick enough to make a big batch, I picked enough to make two jars that will taste all the better because it’s in short supply. And the same goes for my mushrooms. I’m enjoying a handful of fresh mushrooms here and there, savoring every bite because I know their season will come and go faster than you can say, “Turn up the AC.” I like eating seasonally because it makes food special again. When I know that I only have two wee little jars of wineberry jam, it makes each toasted English muffin seem decadent.
What are some of your favorite seasonal foods that only come around once a year?
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When the mercury climbs, your chickens have to endure the heat, too. And extreme temperatures can…
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In the realm of sustainable gardening, you'll quickly find what is old is new again. The techniques…
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When it comes to gardening and popular vegetables, tomatoes are at the top of the list. But not far…
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Berry season is here! And if blueberries are your jam (See what I did there?), you probably enjoy…
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Spring is the beautiful time of year when most gardeners are out buying new garden seeds, if not…
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I love growing pumpkins. It's fun to watch them start as tiny little orbs beneath a yellow flower and…
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Bindweed is undoubtedly one of the toughest weeds to ever make its way into your garden. Even the…
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It's that time of year when home gardens are producing epic amounts of vegetables, especially…
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Pickled garlic scapes? Oh hi there, I'd like to invite you to dinner. Crunchy. Zingy. Garlicky. In my…
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Do you know how many raspberries fit into one jar of syrup? Me neither. All I can say, is that it…
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Did you miss a
newsletter or want to go back and read a few for inspiration - Click this link. Don't forget
to check out our Facebook page for daily updates. That's all for this week, Rural Sprout Readers.
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Sincerely, Tracey Besemer Editor |
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