We’re seeing the first signs of fall here and I’m loving it.
Morning temps have dropped to the mid-40’s. The deck is scattered with yellow
leaves from the birch trees. Egg production has dwindled to a measly 6-8 eggs a
day down from a consistent 18-20 eggs daily. If you don’t remember from my past
ramblings, the hens always take a winter break, which seems to start earlier
every year. Verne and I have been busy harvesting and preserving fall produce.
Harvesting you ask? Yes, I’m finding more and more farms that have public
u-pick programs that follow commercial harvesting. There is something so
special about going to your food source, taking a close look at plants (I like
to take pictures of them), squatting (that’s better than bending at the
waist…very hard on your back), and picking your next meal.
Zucchini blossoms
Last week we spent one morning at Davis Ranch (Sloughhouse
U-Pick) picking (in some cases just loading in our car) 184 pounds of food.
This is no exaggeration. They have a weigh station and weigh your car as it
enters the fields and then weigh it again when you leave. The corn, melons, winter
squash and pumpkins have already been picked and are available on long wagons
and tables. All other veggies, green beans, summer squash, cucumbers,
eggplants, tomatoes and peppers are still on the plant in about a dozen
different fields. This is where the squatting and picking come into play. We
arrived early morning (not quite the “crack of dawn” when they open) and spent
about 2 hours having fun in the fields. The incentive for me is the experience,
not necessarily the 184 pounds of good eats. I literally have a new perspective
on food, food sourcing, commercial growing, and especially Davis Ranch. Every
time we drive to Sacramento, we pass Davis Ranch and its acres of crops from
just-planted to full maturity. This is also true of our trips up and down the 5
freeway past miles and miles of fields and orchards being farmed. I always want
to know what is growing and have a desire to take a closer look at the plants
and their bounty. I can now say I’ve done just that at Davis Ranch. From our
vantage point on the highway, we never realized the extent of the operation.
They must have over a hundred acres of planted fields. It is immense and impressive.
Well worth the $45 we spent for the experience. Oh, I haven’t mentioned the
cost. They charge 25 cents a pound with a $25 minimum purchase.
Sloughhouse bins with pumpkins and winter squash
I know what you’re thinking. This is a fabulous deal, but only
works for a food preserver. There is some truth to that statement. However, it
doesn’t take a master food preserver
to char peppers, wrap and freeze them. Or to blacken corn, cut it off the cob,
bag it and freeze. Or blanch tomatoes, peel and freeze. (What it takes is a large
freezer and a willing husband!) We did choose to can the tomatoes (20 quarts)
because I’d just bought a pressure canner and I needed experience using it. But
in years past I’ve roasted them (peels on) with a little balsamic vinegar and
olive oil and frozen them in quart bags. They easily last over a year with no
degradation in quality. We now have a year supply of some basic ingredients
that we use weekly. No GMOs. No preservatives. No additives. Just pure
goodness. I am more and more taking Michael Pollan’s mantra to heart…EAT FOOD,
NOT TOO MUCH, MOSTLY PLANTS. I love that man!
After - Charred peppers ready to be skinned and frozen
We took to the fields again yesterday. This time it was
Apple Hill with our mission to enjoy one of High Hill Ranch’s famous apple fritters
and, secondarily, buy apples to dehydrate…one of my favorite snacks. Limited
for time, we didn’t actually pick directly from the fields this time, but
instead from large bins of various types of early apples: Gravenstein,
McIntosh, Delicious, Gala, Honey Crisp, Early Fuji, and others. Through
mid-December, different varieties of apples and pears will be available at the
45 orchards, collectively called Apple Hill, that are open to the public. Visiting
Apple Hill has become a family tradition that started as, and for years has
simply been, a trip to High Hill (the first orchard on Carson Road that begins
the loop through the Apple Hill country). We all had our favorites there from
apple cider, caramel apples on a stick, caramel covered marshmallows (I have no
idea what this has to do with apples), to apple fritters and apple donuts. A
quick walkabout, including High Hill’s craft barn, and we were ready to drive
back to Placerville for lunch and then head home. This was our routine for
years until we learned there is so much more to Apple Hill than caramel apples
and fritters. For one thing, Verne and I love canned pears and it is the perfect
source of beautiful fresh Bartletts and other canning pears, as well as Asian
pears (not your ordinary pear). Some of the farms grow various stone fruit and
berries, are open year round, and offer u-pick opportunities. We have just
begun to scratch the surface of this amazing collection of farms. We plan to
visit Apple Hill at least two more times this fall, once in October to buy a
case of our favorite apple, Pink Lady, and again in November just because. Each
time we’ll visit more farms in search of a few new favorites to add to our list
of food sources.
Verne buying our first apple fritter of the season
Bartlett pars at Boa Vista Orchards
