Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#16
|
|||
|
|||
what's up
Steve Peek wrote:
.... You might want to check with local beekeepers, most honey from mint plants is not palatable or saleable. It's alright if you can segregate the honey and leave it for the bees to eat. Buckwheat is pretty much the same. It's the darkest honey you ever saw with a medicinal aroma and taste. However it is popular with the modern "hippie" types who use it like medicine. Not trying to be a know-it-all here, just trying to prevent some of the mistakes I made 40 or so years ago. i've never noticed anything medicinal about buckwheat based honey, tastes could vary? i'm not sure it matters anyways as what Snag asked about was feeding his bees with flowers instead of having to feed them using sugar water. if you read back in my suggestions you may notice that i suggested other plants in the mix, the buckwheat was the gap filler for the rest of this season... the other plants would help provide food for next year and years after. anyways, how is your blueberry season shaping up? are your beans doing well this year? i did not plant any of the greasy beans this season as i was late and i knew they would not finish very well as compared to the many other shorter season varieties i have (which look to be doing great). also, i didn't have the back trellis set up yet for more climbing beans so i did not want to put anything back there. with the many groundhogs around i wasn't sure i'd have much of anything outside the fences actually surviving anyways... today i went out and picked beans for making some three bean salad tomorrow and there's plenty of cucumbers ready to make some more pickles. we sampled the bread and butter pickles (made a week ago) today to see if they were edible before we started giving some away and they were deemed good. songbird |
#17
|
|||
|
|||
what's up
On Sunday, August 9, 2015 at 1:43:58 PM UTC-4, songbird wrote:
Steve Peek wrote: ... You might want to check with local beekeepers, most honey from mint plants is not palatable or saleable. It's alright if you can segregate the honey and leave it for the bees to eat. Buckwheat is pretty much the same. It's the darkest honey you ever saw with a medicinal aroma and taste. However it is popular with the modern "hippie" types who use it like medicine. Not trying to be a know-it-all here, just trying to prevent some of the mistakes I made 40 or so years ago. i've never noticed anything medicinal about buckwheat based honey, tastes could vary? i'm not sure it matters anyways as what Snag asked about was feeding his bees with flowers instead of having to feed them using sugar water. if you read back in my suggestions you may notice that i suggested other plants in the mix, the buckwheat was the gap filler for the rest of this season... the other plants would help provide food for next year and years after. anyways, how is your blueberry season shaping up? are your beans doing well this year? i did not plant any of the greasy beans this season as i was late and i knew they would not finish very well as compared to the many other shorter season varieties i have (which look to be doing great). also, i didn't have the back trellis set up yet for more climbing beans so i did not want to put anything back there. with the many groundhogs around i wasn't sure i'd have much of anything outside the fences actually surviving anyways... today i went out and picked beans for making some three bean salad tomorrow and there's plenty of cucumbers ready to make some more pickles. we sampled the bread and butter pickles (made a week ago) today to see if they were edible before we started giving some away and they were deemed good. songbird Apparently there are at least 2 types of buckwheat honey. The eastern variety is as black as can be with an aroma and flavor somewhere between old vitamins, cough syrup and strong blackstrap molasses. The local "tofu/granola" types think darker and stronger is healthy and good for you similar to dark greens being more healthy. I agree that buckwheat is great bee fodder especially at that time of year when little else is available. Blueberries are pretty much a bust for this year. We've been hit with a fungal disease called "mummy berry". Spores are released at blossom time and are wind distributed to the blossoms. The affected berries grow to nearly normal pre-ripening size then begin to shrink and dry basically mummify. We have about a 90% crop loss this year. The county Ag agent has no organic means of control other than picking up and burning all the affected berries. With over an acre of berries this is not physically possible. I've found a source of elemental copper that I'll try next Spring at blossom time. If that doesn't work I guess I'll have to give up on the blueberries or loose my organic rating. I've started picking the Maine yellow-eyed beans, looks like a bumper crop this year. A neighbor and I disposed of 4 ground hogs last fall and aarly spring so no damage this year. Cucumbers and squash have died and the second planting has started to bloom. Chili peppers are tall and loaded and tomatos are producing about a bushel per week so we have lots of preserving going on now. I grew a new (to me) crop this year called "West Indian Burr Gerkin". They have a tart cucumber flavor but are supposedly not related to cucumber. They look like watermelon plants with dozens of little spiky green balls on them. They don't appear to be susceptible to mildew or cucumber beetles, so they may become my new pickle plant. I'm preparing ground for the fall crops this week. I'll be planting daikon, beets, spinach, turnips, mustard, and maybe some kale, collard and mustard.. Steve |
#18
|
|||
|
|||
what's up
Steve Peek wrote:
.... Apparently there are at least 2 types of buckwheat honey. The eastern variety is as black as can be with an aroma and flavor somewhere between old vitamins, cough syrup and strong blackstrap molasses. The local "tofu/granola" types think darker and stronger is healthy and good for you similar to dark greens being more healthy. I agree that buckwheat is great bee fodder especially at that time of year when little else is available. i happen to like molasses so this description just makes me think that someday i'll have to find some and give it a try. Blueberries are pretty much a bust for this year. We've been hit with a fungal disease called "mummy berry". Spores are released at blossom time and are wind distributed to the blossoms. The affected berries grow to nearly normal pre-ripening size then begin to shrink and dry basically mummify. We have about a 90% crop loss this year. The county Ag agent has no organic means of control other than picking up and burning all the affected berries. With over an acre of berries this is not physically possible. I've found a source of elemental copper that I'll try next Spring at blossom time. If that doesn't work I guess I'll have to give up on the blueberries or loose my organic rating. wow! that's a tough hit on a major crop. i hope it can be controlled, but i'm not familiar at all with that disease. does it stay on the plants or is it only on the fruits after they drop? considering what it takes to get an organic certification i sure hope you can get this under control without resorting to extreme measures. i'm wondering if some kind of ground cover planted to prevent splashing spores up from the ground might help? a large hoover to suck up things would be interesting, but burning the hooverites would be a challenge. I've started picking the Maine yellow-eyed beans, looks like a bumper crop this year. A neighbor and I disposed of 4 ground hogs last fall and aarly spring so no damage this year. i plant some yellow-eyes each year because we both like them but i don't have enough space to grow a lot of them. i plant so many other bean varieties that it's hard for me to get more than a few pounds of any one variety other than the staples (pinto beans for me and lima beans for Ma). this year i made the exception to build up a stock of a cross-breed that did well last season and looks to be doing good this year too. finishes early enough, about the size of a red bean but it is black and a nice blue/purple pod when dried (and the flowers are purple). Cucumbers and squash have died and the second planting has started to bloom. Chili peppers are tall and loaded and tomatos are producing about a bushel per week so we have lots of preserving going on now. I grew a new (to me) crop this year called "West Indian Burr Gerkin". They have a tart cucumber flavor but are supposedly not related to cucumber. They look like watermelon plants with dozens of little spiky green balls on them. They don't appear to be susceptible to mildew or cucumber beetles, so they may become my new pickle plant. you must have a large area if you can plant more than one round of cucumbers and squash. as much as i like cucumbers i'm also glad that they can finish early. I'm preparing ground for the fall crops this week. I'll be planting daikon, beets, spinach, turnips, mustard, and maybe some kale, collard and mustard. all sounds great, i hope they do well. i think the bunnies ate the diakons i planted last year -- or perhaps it was me. i found out i really liked radish sprout greens. songbird |
#19
|
|||
|
|||
what's up
songbird wrote:
Steve Peek wrote: ... Apparently there are at least 2 types of buckwheat honey. The eastern variety is as black as can be with an aroma and flavor somewhere between old vitamins, cough syrup and strong blackstrap molasses. The local "tofu/granola" types think darker and stronger is healthy and good for you similar to dark greens being more healthy. I agree that buckwheat is great bee fodder especially at that time of year when little else is available. i happen to like molasses so this description just makes me think that someday i'll have to find some and give it a try. songbird If the buckwheat I just ordered actually sprouts , I'll let you know . Not sure which variety I'm getting , but it doesn't matter much . This time of year the focus is on getting the hives up to weight to winter well and have the resources (bees + food/pollen) to build up in time to catch the spring flows . Without swarming ... it's a fine line ! -- Snag 4 hives and growing ... |
#20
|
|||
|
|||
what's up
Once upon a time on usenet Steve Peek wrote:
[snipped] we have lots of preserving going on now. I grew a new (to me) crop this year called "West Indian Burr Gerkin". They have a tart cucumber flavor but are supposedly not related to cucumber. They look like watermelon plants with dozens of little spiky green balls on them. They don't appear to be susceptible to mildew or cucumber beetles, so they may become my new pickle plant. Is this them? http://www.worldcrops.org/crops/Maxixe.cfm Because they *are* cucurbits, in the same family as cukes. Cheers, -- Shaun. "Humans will have advanced a long, long way when religious belief has a cozy little classification in the DSM*." David Melville (in r.a.s.f1) (*Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) |
#21
|
|||
|
|||
what's up
On Wednesday, August 12, 2015 at 8:41:27 PM UTC-4, ~misfit~ wrote:
Once upon a time on usenet Steve Peek wrote: [snipped] we have lots of preserving going on now. I grew a new (to me) crop this year called "West Indian Burr Gerkin". They have a tart cucumber flavor but are supposedly not related to cucumber. They look like watermelon plants with dozens of little spiky green balls on them. They don't appear to be susceptible to mildew or cucumber beetles, so they may become my new pickle plant. Is this them? http://www.worldcrops.org/crops/Maxixe.cfm Because they *are* cucurbits, in the same family as cukes. Cheers, -- Shaun. "Humans will have advanced a long, long way when religious belief has a cozy little classification in the DSM*." David Melville (in r.a.s.f1) (*Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) that's them, same family, different genus. Mine don't seem to be that large without getting inedible seeds. They're very tasty similar to cucumber but more tart. |
#22
|
|||
|
|||
what's up
Once upon a time on usenet Steve Peek wrote:
On Wednesday, August 12, 2015 at 8:41:27 PM UTC-4, ~misfit~ wrote: Once upon a time on usenet Steve Peek wrote: [snipped] we have lots of preserving going on now. I grew a new (to me) crop this year called "West Indian Burr Gerkin". They have a tart cucumber flavor but are supposedly not related to cucumber. They look like watermelon plants with dozens of little spiky green balls on them. They don't appear to be susceptible to mildew or cucumber beetles, so they may become my new pickle plant. Is this them? http://www.worldcrops.org/crops/Maxixe.cfm Because they *are* cucurbits, in the same family as cukes. Cheers, that's them, same family, different genus. Mine don't seem to be that large without getting inedible seeds. They're very tasty similar to cucumber but more tart. I was just making a rhubarb tart last night (lidless pie - much easier than lidding it and lower pastry to fruit ratio) and my mind wandered, as it does... I came to the conclusion that I definitely need more tart in my life. -- Shaun. "Humans will have advanced a long, long way when religious belief has a cozy little classification in the DSM*." David Melville (in r.a.s.f1) (*Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) |
#23
|
|||
|
|||
what's up
On 8/15/2015 7:33 PM, ~misfit~ wrote:
Once upon a time on usenet Steve Peek wrote: On Wednesday, August 12, 2015 at 8:41:27 PM UTC-4, ~misfit~ wrote: Once upon a time on usenet Steve Peek wrote: [snipped] we have lots of preserving going on now. I grew a new (to me) crop this year called "West Indian Burr Gerkin". They have a tart cucumber flavor but are supposedly not related to cucumber. They look like watermelon plants with dozens of little spiky green balls on them. They don't appear to be susceptible to mildew or cucumber beetles, so they may become my new pickle plant. Is this them? http://www.worldcrops.org/crops/Maxixe.cfm Because they *are* cucurbits, in the same family as cukes. Cheers, that's them, same family, different genus. Mine don't seem to be that large without getting inedible seeds. They're very tasty similar to cucumber but more tart. I was just making a rhubarb tart last night (lidless pie - much easier than lidding it and lower pastry to fruit ratio) and my mind wandered, as it does... I came to the conclusion that I definitely need more tart in my life. You left the s off tarts. G |
#24
|
|||
|
|||
what's up
Once upon a time on usenet George Shirley wrote:
On 8/15/2015 7:33 PM, ~misfit~ wrote: Once upon a time on usenet Steve Peek wrote: On Wednesday, August 12, 2015 at 8:41:27 PM UTC-4, ~misfit~ wrote: Once upon a time on usenet Steve Peek wrote: [snipped] we have lots of preserving going on now. I grew a new (to me) crop this year called "West Indian Burr Gerkin". They have a tart cucumber flavor but are supposedly not related to cucumber. They look like watermelon plants with dozens of little spiky green balls on them. They don't appear to be susceptible to mildew or cucumber beetles, so they may become my new pickle plant. Is this them? http://www.worldcrops.org/crops/Maxixe.cfm Because they *are* cucurbits, in the same family as cukes. Cheers, that's them, same family, different genus. Mine don't seem to be that large without getting inedible seeds. They're very tasty similar to cucumber but more tart. I was just making a rhubarb tart last night (lidless pie - much easier than lidding it and lower pastry to fruit ratio) and my mind wandered, as it does... I came to the conclusion that I definitely need more tart in my life. You left the s off tarts. G LOL! Good to see I'm not the only one who thinks like that. I Left the 's' off in case I was. -- Shaun. "Humans will have advanced a long, long way when religious belief has a cozy little classification in the DSM*." David Melville (in r.a.s.f1) (*Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) |
#25
|
|||
|
|||
what's up
On 8/16/2015 1:56 AM, ~misfit~ wrote:
Once upon a time on usenet George Shirley wrote: On 8/15/2015 7:33 PM, ~misfit~ wrote: Once upon a time on usenet Steve Peek wrote: On Wednesday, August 12, 2015 at 8:41:27 PM UTC-4, ~misfit~ wrote: Once upon a time on usenet Steve Peek wrote: [snipped] we have lots of preserving going on now. I grew a new (to me) crop this year called "West Indian Burr Gerkin". They have a tart cucumber flavor but are supposedly not related to cucumber. They look like watermelon plants with dozens of little spiky green balls on them. They don't appear to be susceptible to mildew or cucumber beetles, so they may become my new pickle plant. Is this them? http://www.worldcrops.org/crops/Maxixe.cfm Because they *are* cucurbits, in the same family as cukes. Cheers, that's them, same family, different genus. Mine don't seem to be that large without getting inedible seeds. They're very tasty similar to cucumber but more tart. I was just making a rhubarb tart last night (lidless pie - much easier than lidding it and lower pastry to fruit ratio) and my mind wandered, as it does... I came to the conclusion that I definitely need more tart in my life. You left the s off tarts. G LOL! Good to see I'm not the only one who thinks like that. I Left the 's' off in case I was. Nope, there's lots of us out there. My tart chasing ended 57 years ago but I can still remember those days. G |
#26
|
|||
|
|||
what's up
Once upon a time on usenet George Shirley wrote:
On 8/16/2015 1:56 AM, ~misfit~ wrote: Once upon a time on usenet George Shirley wrote: On 8/15/2015 7:33 PM, ~misfit~ wrote: Once upon a time on usenet Steve Peek wrote: On Wednesday, August 12, 2015 at 8:41:27 PM UTC-4, ~misfit~ wrote: Once upon a time on usenet Steve Peek wrote: [snipped] we have lots of preserving going on now. I grew a new (to me) crop this year called "West Indian Burr Gerkin". They have a tart cucumber flavor but are supposedly not related to cucumber. They look like watermelon plants with dozens of little spiky green balls on them. They don't appear to be susceptible to mildew or cucumber beetles, so they may become my new pickle plant. Is this them? http://www.worldcrops.org/crops/Maxixe.cfm Because they *are* cucurbits, in the same family as cukes. Cheers, that's them, same family, different genus. Mine don't seem to be that large without getting inedible seeds. They're very tasty similar to cucumber but more tart. I was just making a rhubarb tart last night (lidless pie - much easier than lidding it and lower pastry to fruit ratio) and my mind wandered, as it does... I came to the conclusion that I definitely need more tart in my life. You left the s off tarts. G LOL! Good to see I'm not the only one who thinks like that. I Left the 's' off in case I was. Nope, there's lots of us out there. My tart chasing ended 57 years ago but I can still remember those days. G Mine ended a while back too but I never married or 'settled down' so I can still dream. -- Shaun. "Humans will have advanced a long, long way when religious belief has a cozy little classification in the DSM*." David Melville (in r.a.s.f1) (*Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) |
#27
|
|||
|
|||
what's up
~misfit~ wrote:
.... I was just making a rhubarb tart last night (lidless pie - much easier than lidding it and lower pastry to fruit ratio) and my mind wandered, as it does... I came to the conclusion that I definitely need more tart in my life. we make crumbles (fruit on the bottom topped by a mix of sugar, oats, whatever else that will bake ok) and that can also reduce the amount of sugars/fats while still giving it a bit of crust on it. songbird |
#28
|
|||
|
|||
what's up
Once upon a time on usenet songbird wrote:
~misfit~ wrote: ... I was just making a rhubarb tart last night (lidless pie - much easier than lidding it and lower pastry to fruit ratio) and my mind wandered, as it does... I came to the conclusion that I definitely need more tart in my life. we make crumbles (fruit on the bottom topped by a mix of sugar, oats, whatever else that will bake ok) and that can also reduce the amount of sugars/fats while still giving it a bit of crust on it. Yes, I've made many a crumble in my time. When I was a kid, back in the days before food processors I used to rub the butter into the flour for Mum. However I do like a good semi-sweet shortcrust pastry (my secret is to add lemon juice to the pastry mix, it really picks it up and adds a new dimension to it). -- Shaun. "Humans will have advanced a long, long way when religious belief has a cozy little classification in the DSM*." David Melville (in r.a.s.f1) (*Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) |