Tossing Pebbles in the Stream

This blog is my place to sit and toss pebbles into the stream. The stream of Life relentlessly passing before us. We can affect it little. For the most part I just watch it passing and follow the flow. Occasionally, I need to comment on its passing, tossing a pebble at it to enjoy the ripple affect upon Life's surface.

Thursday, October 06, 2005

PICKLES, PICKLES, PICKLES

I am so tired of pickling. My garden is obviously too big. Right now if I never see another cucumber or zucchini I will be happy.

My little pantry cupboard is almost filled with mason jars full with my efforts. I have made relish from zucchini and three kinds of cucumber pickles (I prefer the brine pickles). I have also pickled carrots (more to do) and two kinds of pickled beets.

On my shelves are also several jams and jellies made from wild berries picked on my property.
I even made mint jelly from the mint plants growing along the river. This I will eat with the lamb my neighbour gave me. The lamb should last me all winter so I am looking for interesting recipes.

Today, I am making saurkraut with the lovely cabbages. I hope it turns out well. I have some moose meat and may end up with some moose sausage woth which it will go well.

From my garden I have also frozen some zucchini and butternut squash, an easier way to preserve it than pickling.

And, or course, a winter's suppy of potatoes isto be stored in the basement in a dry cool place.

I wonder why I do this as a single guy with few friends and family with whom to share it . It is a big job and really needs a group of people to do it. One reason is that I like to grow a garden (I am not very good at it) and I hate to seen the fresh produce go to waste. What I cannot give away I process, freeze or store. I wanted to give some to the food bank but apparently they do not handle fresh produce. Something wrong with this! Town people on modest income could certainly use fresh produce! I also believe this style of life I live needs to be preserved. There is knowledge and skills that have been lost to the last couple of generations that needs to be rediscovered as I have done. These may become more useful and even necessary in the future with climate change and decreasing fossil fuel supplies. Last, I feel guilty of sitting on this large piece of land without trying at least to feed myself from what I can grow and raise on it.

My growing interest is in the ability to identify, harvest and prepare wild plants from the forest. I keep telling myself some year I will try to harvest enough of these items to preserve them for my pantry. There are berries, of course, and I already do that. But there are also greens, starches, herbs and medicinal plant in abundance all around us. Once again, this will be a challenge for another year. In the meantime, I will enjoy the fruits if my labour over the winter.

Tossing Pebbles in the Stream

Thursday, October 06, 2005

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