Coops and Canning
August 11, 2008 at 2:30 am | In Basic Musings, Farm Share | 9 Comments
We had at one time planted blueberry, blackberry, and raspberry bushes. Sadly, all we’ve got established is the blackberry one and blackberries are not my favorite of the berry. I always think I’ll like them more than I do. They are ripe and look so shiny and pretty, though, so I figured we’d better start eating them. And what better way to disguise the occasional sourness of them, than to stick them into a sweet treat? I made Lemon Bread and stirred in the blackberries that I’d picked. Cooked in the bread (which, let’s face it, is cake) only the sweetness remained and they were a delicious complement to the sweet tang of this buttery cake with a lemon-sugar glaze.
In praise of a juicer and a zester. You just can’t beat these two things when it comes to doing anything with citrus. I don’t care if a reamer is smaller or a box grater does the job just fine. These two things do the job better. And it always makes me feel old fashioned to use my glass juicer and then pour the juice into a measuring cup.
This week at the farm we got 8 lbs of regular red tomatoes, 5 lbs. of heirloom tomatoes (I chose one 2 lb yellow one!), plus cherry tomatoes. I decided to try making and canning salsa. I’ve always had my reservations about this because while I love a freshly chopped up salsa, to can it it must be heated and simmered, so then you’ve got is sort of mushy and cooked. Which I guess is what it’s like when you buy it jarred at the store. My recipe yielded 4 1/2 pints and 1 pint and they look pretty good. I’m getting a bit swifter at the canning process and looking forward to trying some other things.
The Chicken Coop is finished! Well, a few tiny details remain, but the structure is essentially finished and we painted it this week. Clark helped. He enjoyed it very much but still has paint on him and won’t let me scrub it off. I’m delighted with the color green we chose and think it looks quite snug and cozy. I am also thrilled that Paul found an old door by the side of the road which we are using for our coop’s door. It pleased me because I seem to constantly read about people finding and repurposing doors, windows, wood, etc. I’m under the impression that we should have been able to build our whole coop out of reclaimed stuff instead of plywood from Home Depot. But honestly, where are people finding all this cast off wood?? We are attending our county 4H Fair this week and that is where we are planning on getting our starter chickens. I’m so excited!
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Oh my goodness! The coop looks AMAZING! I love the green, too, and I think that’s wonderful that you were able to repurpose a found door. I’m so looking forward to fresh eggs!!
That cake looks scrumptious — what a good idea for blackberries. I’m also not really crazy about them, and I was so bummed this week at our farm, where we were allegedly going to get a mix of blackberries and raspberries, but they only had the former. If it happens again, I might try your trick! (And I love, love, love that picture of the lemons, zester, and juicer.)
Comment by Schnookie — August 11, 2008 #
I’m glad you like my lemon zest juicer picture! I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to use those things. Is that weird of me?
Comment by Sarah — August 11, 2008 #
I would be TICKLED to get to use a juicer like that, so I guess if that makes you weird, I’m weird too!
Comment by Schnookie — August 11, 2008 #
I second the “great picture!” sentiment!
I also really love the color for the coop, which looks awesome! I can’t wait to come up and see the chickens once you have them settled in.
I love blackberries, but I really only want to eat like 1/4 raw a year. And every year Schnookie picks a zillion pints and then complains about it. Since I’m the only one who eats them, I always feel guilty! Fortunately, between chocolate-blackberry ice cream and blackberry cocktails, I think we’ve found some dishes that everyone will enjoy, not just me. Maybe I’ll have a guilt-free blackberry summer this year!
Comment by Pookie — August 11, 2008 #
Sarah, Sarah, Sarah – you are just too much. I love it all!
Comment by Phoebe — August 12, 2008 #
I love your coop. Are you going to get literate chickens?
Comment by Margaret Simpson — August 13, 2008 #
[...] two weeks I have been listening to this station more because I have been doing work in the garage (building a chicken coop). Without going into my neurotic music listening, I’ll just say that I listen to the radio [...]
Pingback by ADAM GOPNIK–”The Real Work” (New Yorker, March 17, 2008) « I Just Read About That… — August 14, 2008 #
Just let me know if you want to get rid of any blackberries. I will even pick them. You can always quick freeze them and make jam during the winter. When you were little I can remember on hot August days picking blackberries at the farm. Your grandmother, Aunt Deb, and Phoebe and I would all go out and pick. We would come in with blood running down our arms from all the scratches. They do have wicked thorns.
Comment by wordsfromthewheelchair — August 16, 2008 #
Your coop looks great! I love that color green and the cutout is too cute. Can’t wait to see your chickens. I’m sure it will be an exciting day for all of you, but especially Clark.
Comment by Cindy — August 17, 2008 #