Apples
I'm scared to say it for fear of jinxing it, but the apples are looking good this year so far. 1,000 trees, 40 heritage varieties and 260 black crates and a cool room ready to be filled. In the meantime we have baskets and bowls of tiny, not quite ripe apples on the kitchen table. Thinnings and wind falls. What to do with them, what to do with them?
Blackberries
Ours are just starting to ripen and for the first season ever I'm not sure what to do about it. It seems like a waste to leave certified organic fruit on the bushes but seriously, I have frozen berries in the freezer from last year and shelves full of jam from the years before that. I'm thinking a few bottles of this cordial and this cake but after that I'm stuck. Any ideas?
Cleanse/juice fast
My farmer boy and I have been talking about a cleanse. Our first ever. Neither of us feels like we are running on full potential and a bit more energy would and could be grand.
But which fast/cleanse is a good fast/cleanse? And would I really have to give up coffee? And could I cope with being hungry? And would the sweetness of the vegetable juices make me gag? And could I cook food for my girlies if I wasn't actually eating food myself? And how long would all this cleansing have to go on for to really make a difference? Could I do it? Should I do it?
My three school girls and my farmer boy
Always, always, always, always.
A bio for my book
100 words about me that will help potential buyers of my book get to know me quickly. Oh my goodness, this self promotion bit feels almost harder than writing the book itself. What do I say other than mother of three, wifey to one, maker of stuff, grower of food...? Help!
So much to crochet - so little summer time.
Knitting project
In about a month and a half we are going overseas on an excellent adventure and all I can think about is what I'll knit while we're away. The very thought of being projectless stresses me, even now, but so does the thought of carrying too much craft stuff around. So I think I've narrowed it down to a cardigan for one of the girls. Now to hit Ravelry and work out which one.
Dead fox
Miss Pepper found a dead fox. Miss Pepper wanted to keep the dead fox as a pet. Miss Pepper did not understand that we would not let her keep the dead fox as a pet. There were tears. Lots of them. Farm kids eh?!?
Winter planting
We're behind already. We need to order seeds and plants seeds. It feels strange to be sorting out winter before the tomatoes have really ripened but broccoli is the reason for the winter season.
Year off
A very wise friend of mine told me that after her youngest child started school she took the year off. She read books and took walks and made stuff and watched stuff on TV. She did not rush to find things to do to fill in her days. She took time. I think that sounds wonderful, don't you.
And that's about it from me for now.
I hope you are having the most marvellous week so far.
And thank you! For reading my random ramblings, for leaving me gorgeous comments and messages and for travelling along beside me. I hope your world is a happy one right now.
xx
just a thought... maybe you could have an open day one weekend for peeps to come blackberry picking and lighted the load for you and your vines?... x
ReplyDeleteOh that's exactly what I thought. Host a peeps picnic Kate....... Byo basket for picking blackberries xxxxx
DeleteI spent my first child free year doing not much. Felt lost for most of it. Xxxx
Itdidnt occur to me for ages that someone died so Cam could have those lu gs and it makes my brain hurt a bit to think about it all, hoping she is going great.
ReplyDeleteA yea off for you is the greatest idea and i was hoping you would get to that as you have mentioned that before. I think not filling it will fill it you know??
Apple and blackberry crumbles??
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful picture of your red riding hood.
ReplyDeleteI made cordial with most of our blackcurrants last year. It actually takes a lot of blackcurrants just to make one bottle of cordial. I thought what I made would last for ages but it is long gone! You could try blackcurrant jelly. Again this takes a lot of fruit compared to the amount of jelly you get. I hope you know what I mean by jelly - basically jam made with only the juice you get when the fruit has been simmered and then strained, usually overnight. You add the sugar depending on how much juice you've extracted, then boil and set like jam. It's a good problem to have though - too much fruit!!
ReplyDeleteAll the best, Gillian
I know you said you have lots of jam, but have you made any blackberry and pear jam. I made some last summer from this recipe and I think it is the yummiest jam I have ever had.
ReplyDeletehttp://self-sufficientinsuburbia.blogspot.ca/2008/10/blackberry-and-pear-jam.html
A year off for you with no pressure sounds awesome, that's an interesting view point. The sunflower picture is amazing! Heather x
ReplyDeleteYour blog is beautiful and I have enjoyed seeing your amazing harvests! I think that a year off is a fantastic idea!! I hope to take a year when my beans start school to just paint again! I look forward to journeying along with you! Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteSo much to think about, Kate:) 1000 apple trees! That's enough to think about right there!!! Happy decision making ... we certainly have too many decisions to make in this life, don't we? x
ReplyDeleteI would use those blackberries for some natural dyeing!
ReplyDeleteHi Kate the year off or even 6 months would be great. Just spending time working out what you want to do for you.......doesn't always work though lol. With the youngest just starting year 5 I am still unsure and tend to fill days just pottering and thinking I really should be aiming for something lol.
ReplyDeleteAs for the berries, I was wondering, could you make jam or cordial etc and take it to sell at your farmer's markets? I don't know if you need special permits etc to sell that sort of thing but just an idea, seems a shame to waste them.
Hi Kate,I have read that those cleasing diets arent really very beneficial.Eat your gorgeous organic food,walk,get lots of sleep!The changes around going on around
ReplyDeleteyou at the moment can leave you feeling like your not at your best...your lovely overseas adventure will refill your spirit for sure! What a gorgeous time to look forward to :)Michele x
oh I'd love to pick blackberries, do you open up to the public? And my oh my 1000 apples...who wonderful. as for a year off, that's a fabulous idea...get back into the swing of things naturally and let it happen and really enjoy time for yourself. How exciting that you are off on an overseas adventure...long or short a craft always has to come along! xx
ReplyDeleteYou could dry the blackberries and store them - doesn't take up room in the freezer.
ReplyDeleteAnd I had to laugh about Miss Pepper and the fox LOL
Oh and a year off sounds wonderful :)
I love your ramblings Kate. And I love your pictures, the sunflowers are adorable, and that fox does look like it would make a good pet.
ReplyDeleteWriting a bio is not hard once you get going, you're writing about the subject you know best - yourself!
xx
Gorgeous photo's. As a writer I find you just need to start and as you get into it the bio will form itself under your beautiful heart and words.
ReplyDeleteI do think a year off sounds like just the right thing. Good luck with the apple harvest!
ReplyDeleteHi Kate, we are currently doing daily 16 hour fasting, we started 2 weeks ago and I'm really enjoying it. Feel less bloated and not so fuzzy in the head. I'm not even hungry and I'm enjoying my food so much more. My farmer boy is doing it with me and feeling good.
ReplyDeleteI took a year off after my boys started school, they are currently in grades 1,2 and 3. Finally I am relaxed enough to really enjoy them and now they are back at school I really miss them.
Vickie
16 hours!!!! What???
DeleteVickie, please come back and tell me more.
Hi Kate, it's not that hard, we eat dinner at about 6 or 7 in the evening and then breakfast/brunch at about 11 the next day. Then usually just normal, lots of org fruit veg etc, for 8 hours and fast again. It's cut out lots of snacking as you really only have time for the good stuff! I was convinced after thinking about what the boys do during holidays they naturally seem to fast for about 12 hrs - none of them rush into breakfast during the holidays when they are on more of a natural rhythm. Having said that we are in no way wanting or expecting them to fast. I would love to loose weight on this regime but the scales are yet to tip in my favour - need to get a bit busy. I try to get up early to go for a walk to beat the flies, being on a dairy it's crazy. Hope this helps, love to hear what you think about it. Thanks Vickie
DeleteLovely photos and thoughts Kate. I know I would have trouble cleansing/fasting...especially while still cooking for the kids. Good luck if you decide to do it! Your book blanket is looking so pretty. Gosh I am getting excited about your book x
ReplyDeletei reckon skip the detox and go for daily exercise and non processed/low carb foods... nothing makes you feel better... you'll feel exhausted for the first week or so and then you'll be filled with energy... getting fit gives you loads more energy!
ReplyDeleteI went on a naturopathic cleansing diet. It was hard, but it wasn't hard because I really couldn't eat much. I had to do it for six weeks.
ReplyDeleteThere was no; dairy, wheat, sugar (not even fruit at first), fermented products etc...
What I could eat was; lots of veggies, brown rice (or white), fish, chicken and small amounts of red meat, eggs, legumes etc...
He told me to stay away from the middle of the supermarket and shop from the outer - ie: go for fresh stuff.
I could have coffee - just not with milk
The first week was horrid, but I ended up feeling well and on reflection I have not been sick for 18 months, my dermatitis has cleared up and generally I feel good. I eat normally again - but still try to be health. Emphasis on try :-)
Goodluck with the decision.
L
x
With regards to blackberries, I make this every autumn - http://www.eatweeds.co.uk/blackberry-vinegar-recipe. (That's if you're into the vinegar thing of course). Love visiting this beautiful blog of yours x
ReplyDeleteHi, Happy to take some blackberries off your hands! Miss them so much after growing up in the country of NSW. DON'T "cleanse" it's a myth and can be bad for your liver and other things. Just look at your diet and get back to nutrient rich foods and regular exercise if you feel you've strayed. Less carbs will ease bloated feelings. Proteins at lunch get you through the long afternoons.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to pop in and say I love the sunflowers, rows and rows of sunflowers. Just gorgeous. A whole paddock of happy.
ReplyDeleteA year off? Ooh I'm sure we all agree you deserve it. Entirely. However, I've read in multiple places those juice cleanses aren't very good for you in the long run. Maybe for a few days, but you can't rid your body of things, by flushing it out with juice. Just doesn't work that way - be nice if it did though!!
ReplyDeleteBlackberry ideas?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rivercottage.net/users/user-514037/blog/blackberry-whisky-and-elderberry-gin/p:2/
I love your ramblimgs Kate :-)
ReplyDeleteCoincidentally I'm starting a cleanse today. I'm tired of being tired and grumpy. I've never been so grumpy ever - and I know its because of the stress of moving and working and little eco starting school and not eating properly. So last night I popped into the chemist and got a gentle homeopathic 10 day clense kit (Brauer) and I'm combining that with auveydic food I know suits me - soaked oates porridge for breakfast, kitchari and lots of vegetables for lunch, loads of herbal tea, and a small serve of whatever the others are having for dinner and a bowl of mung bean soup. I sat down last night and wrote my 'daily wellbeing routine'. I'm not fond of green smoothies or juices so am settling on warm comforting food that makes me feel good.
And I'm so envious of you having more Blackberries than you can eat. you've reminded me to drive by a few of my fav Blackberry spots to see if they are ripe yet. Could you sell your blackberries? Although the time picking them would make them too expensive for most? T
Hey Kate, thanks for your blog. I love it. I assume that it makes lots of your readers (myself included) dream of making "sea changes" in their lives! We had lots of blackcurrants this year and I can highly recommend using a steam juicer to make blackcurrant juice. I mixed it with apple juice (that I also steamed) because otherwise it comes out REALLY strong. Then bottled and pasteurized. Kids love it and so do parents - especially when mixed with vodka and ice ;) Do you use the name blackcurrants/blackberries interchangeably? Over here in Latvia they are two very different kinds of berries! Cheers, Marianna
ReplyDeleteKate, a green juice fast is a great way to cleanse and kick start your energy levels. In your case. I would do the green juices for breakfast(possibly) and lunch(definitely)... (kale, celery, carrots, green apples, cabbage in small amounts - any greens work) and stick with a healthy, fresh evening meal that you can share as a family. You can drink greeen juice for morning and afternoon tea and keep your water intake high. And yes, if you want the maximum benefit, cut out the caffine, or at least limit it to one cup per day. All the best!
ReplyDeleteBev
A year off sounds like a fantastic idea! No expectations, just allowing whatever comes up to arrive... do it, I say!
ReplyDeleteMaybe start brewing some blackberry wine?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely have a 'year off.' I'm about 5 months into my oldest daughter being at secondary school and she's needed a different kind of mothering that I've had to learn how to do. And my youngest daughter certainly felt her sister's absence from primary school. Leave some of the space empty and give yourself, and the rest of the family, time to adjust to the changes.
ReplyDeleteIs it too mean to hope that, that is the fox that has been harassing my chooks??
ReplyDeleteWhat to do with blackberries ... make blackberry vodka! Well that's what I do with mine (and the blackberry vodka recipe on my blog is one of the most visited pages). It makes a great tipple, is great to give as presents, and is also very saleable.
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