Well, we haven't broken the first bit of ground on our little corner of the world but we have the beginnings of a fruit orchard already waiting for us. Amazing how nature supplies us when we least expect it.
From my earlier post, we found out from our County Extension Office (who is FABULOUS!) that we don't have a blueberry bush but a HUCKLEBERRY bush ... which the deer have nearly decimated. How did my darling hubby put it? We've been "infliltrated"! LOL! We have the spot marked and will begin to prune and protect our little berry baby so we have a nice crop next year. Looking forward to finding huckleberry jam recipies to can. Please feel free to submit a recipie if you have one, otherwise I'll be over at Canning Granny looking for ideas.
(BTW: Canning Granny is one of my all time favorite sites for canning ideas. You can follow her page on Facebook and it is well worth it! From tried and tested master canners to the new converts -- ideas, problems, successes, and other information is shared freely and friendly. Check them out if you aren't following them already!)
Remember me mentioning that Hubby and I were out with the survey tape marking off potential house, well, and septic areas?In our trudgings through brush we discovered many of our muscadines had ripened beautifully! And talk about tasty! We were tired, thirsty, and miserable in the heat (okay: I was tired, thirsty, and miserable); the muscadines were warm, juicy, and as sweet as could be straight off the vine. I must have gobbled up a pint while we were out there. We've found three well-developed vines in different locations that will be easy to train on a trellis or vine fence. Just look at these beauties sitting like gems in the jar!
But the walk had more to reveal: Persimmon Trees! They're a little scraggly from the overgrowth of pines, but Hubby and I will clear out to create some more light. Didn't know off hand what we had, but we knew it was a fruit. So, off we went to the Extension Office to bother Clay again. Yes, I was taking photos in the car of our discovery just for this blog ... either as a warning or another one of Nature's bonuses.
Persimmons, it seems, are delicious -- especially to deer. BUT, you have to wait until they're gooey inside and falling off the tree before they're sweet enough to eat -- which won't happen until late Fall. I don't know if the deer wait that long, but the lady at the Extension office said that was what we needed to do if we wanted to make persimmon preserves. According to Clay, the intrepid County Extension Agent, its a lot of work for a little bit of fruit -- sort of like pomegranates.
I like pomegranates. But I will admit that it is definitely a lot of work for a quick burst of yummy goodness. However, with a couple of trees we may be able to make something to can AND leave enough to feed the wildlife. With apologies to my vegetarian readers out there -- it will also help stock our meat freezer if we're lucky.
At the library yesterday, Hubby found a Mother Earth News article on kit houses, building one's own house, and the cost per square footage. This is something I definitely have to read, but our first trip needs to be to the Department of Public Health. Permits, Perk Tests, and Fees ~ oh my. I want to ask my own questions too, like:
Found this glass-roofed yurt through another blog I follow: Living off the Grid. Another great Facebook page to follow. I really wouldn't do this for myself, but this certainly turned out beautifully, don't you think!?
And what blog would be complete without a little local interest story? I finally got to see the Georgia Guidestones up close and personal! Pretty cool really. They have the Arabic stone inscription backed by the Hebrew; the American/English stands face to face with the Russian. Wonder if that was happenstance or deliberate?
However, some of the precepts are a little unsettling. How exactly are we to keep a population control -- who decides who lives and who is eliminated? How does one determine who is more valuable to keep and who is unnecessary and disposable? While most of the ideas are sound, the population directives are disturbing. I knit with some fabulous women who are in their 70's and more lively, engaged, and active in their lives than people in their 20's! I have learned so much from them and they have become my go-to source for everything from "I hate this thing I knitted, what can I do to fix it" to "Help, my life is falling apart."
However, some of the precepts are a little unsettling. How exactly are we to keep a population control -- who decides who lives and who is eliminated? How does one determine who is more valuable to keep and who is unnecessary and disposable? While most of the ideas are sound, the population directives are disturbing. I knit with some fabulous women who are in their 70's and more lively, engaged, and active in their lives than people in their 20's! I have learned so much from them and they have become my go-to source for everything from "I hate this thing I knitted, what can I do to fix it" to "Help, my life is falling apart."
Of course all this ranting brings me around to the second MOST important part of this blog: Knitting! 
(Silly gooses, I bet you thought it had something to do with clearing land)
I have my grandson's hat finished, a hat and cowl set for a friend, and a beautiful cowl/hoodie which folded correctly can double as a warm winter hijab. Easy patterns and beautiful results. Now, on to the sweater for grandson and presents for others who cannot be named.
Enjoy the photos and let me know your thoughts on the blog. Trust me: big earth-moving equipment will actually show up on the property AND the blog someday soon. This process takes a bit longer when you're working with a finite budget, tru-tru? (LOL)
No comments:
Post a Comment