Real Food

This year Maine Man grew his best ever crop of onions!  He feels that it is mostly due to the varieties he choose for our geographical area.  He bought Copras & Pattersons from Johnny’s Select Seeds.  He planted onions both in the hoop house and outside.  The onions in the outside gardens did much better. 

The gardens are just about gone by.  The only produce left to harvest is edamame beans, corn, and sweet potatoes.  However, the hoop house is still filled with lots of luscious produce including: dill, cilantro, basil, beets, beet greens, leeks,  spinach, swiss chard,  turnip, bok choy, green, jalapeno & banana peppers, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, mesculin mix, romaine lettuce, and tomatoes. 

My mother & I picked approx. 5 gallons of tomatoes today.  Most went into the freezer after running it through my saucer.  I saved aside 4 quarts in attempt to make ketchup for the very first time in the next couple days. 

This melon came from the farmer’s market.  BEST watermelon you’ve EVER tasted!  I kept to my promise this summer and we made it to the market nearly every week.  I must admit my biggest inspiration to be more faithful at buying local was a book I read called “Bringing Food Home: The Maine Example”.

Within the next couple weeks I will be posting a review on that book which I cannot say enough good about.  That will be followed by a review of “The Back to Basics Handbook” which I just started reading.  I also have a GIVE AWAY of an entirely different item coming soon, so stay tuned!

My Aunt J brought these apples to us a couple weeks back.  They came from my grandfather's old apple tree that sustained significant damage from Hurricane Irene.   Despite the warm weather we’ve had here in Maine this fall, the apples have kept well in the shed.  They truly are the best apples we’ve had so far this season.  Flower Girl has made some applesauce with them once so far with plans to make another batch for our farmer friend.  I hope to make some crisp with them and maybe even try dehydrating a few this weekend. 

Question for my readers: Has anyone ever saved a seed from an apple and successfully grown an apple tree from it?   I’ve heard it is possible.  Would love to, with my sentimental nature and all.  My grandfather holds a special place in my heart and I’d love to see something that was once his grow on.