Sunrise bumblebees are just the most gorgeous cherry tomatoes 🍅, but I find their flavor completely lacking! Their skin is thicker than I’d like and the taste isn’t particular acidic or sweet 🤷🏻♀️.
My toddler refuses to eat them 🤭 Maybe I can chop them for salsa.
I won’t be growing these next year…
What are your winners and losers so far?
#tomatotuesday #backyardfarm #homegrownfood #tomatoseason
Check out my new Flowhive! They are fine and easy way to extract honey without having to pull out the frame each time.
Have you used one before? I see many pros and cons but I’m excited to try this out.
#beekeeping #flowhive #backyardbeekeeping
Still on the hunt for more citrus to plant! Let me know if you have any suggestions, or where I can buy more fruit to try.
I currently have a Navel, Shiranui and Owari Satsuma planted. I’m planning on getting a Kishu as well. Currently also leaning toward a Golden Nugget.
#honeymandarin
#ponkan
#murcott
#citrusseason
#backyardorchard
Gold Nugget is mentioned as one of the best late season mandarins, but my verdict js 3 1/2 stars ⭐️. Do you have a favorite late-season mandarin? Let me know!
I’m still looking to try Tango, Lee x Nova, and Yosemite/Shasta Gold. Pixie is not suitable in my microclimate.
#goldnuggetmandarin #lateseasoncitrus #mandarinseason #backyardorchard
My favorite citrus, know as Sumo, Shiranui, or Dekopon. It tastes mellow and sweet with pomelo notes, and absolutely no bitterness. Very complex flavor. They’re in season right now so I recommend trying some if you can find them!
One thing to note is that the taste changes after the fruit is picked. I suggest not buying ones that look less fresh. The acidity and flavor erodes and will taste like a regular, but more sweet Navel orange.
I got my tree from a local grower, but they are available from Four Winds as well.
#shiranui #sumocitrus #dekopon
Pulled all the bok choy from my bed that were starting to bolt. I guess a mizuna got in there somehow. I usually just cut the outer leaves to eat as I need, instead of the whole plant.
Hope so my Cali friends are enjoying the rain (at least your plants are) 🌧️
#zone9bgardening #californiagarden #backyardvegetablegarden
Just a simple extraction straight into the jar when you just have one frame.
This will take a few hours as the honey drips down. It takes longer if it’s cold.
#homemadehoney #honeycomb #backyardbeekeeping #homesteading #homesteadlife
What a year for our pomegranates! Our big increase this year was due to the 3rd pomegranate tree finally putting out fruit! I spent the last 3 years doing corrective pruning.
We have 3 trees that are at least 50 years old. We got around 1000 fruits last year. It’s definitely one of the greatest unexpected blessings on the homestead!
Approximate breakdown of our fruit use:
Sold - 300
Juice/jam/jelly - 500
Gave away - 300
Fresh eating - 300
Storage - 100
Let me know your best uses for this fruit!
#pomegranateseason #homegrownfood #backyardorchard #bayareagardening #zone9b #pomlove
My little one is showing us how we make pomegranate juice in the manual press! This is the best use of those small, broken, and extra fruits.
I prefer this type of juice over the electric kind, and it minimizes the amount of the white part the juice without having to peel first.The white part will increase bitterness. You can drink the juice straight, or make jellos and jelly,etc.
Yes, she is bilingual and switches easily between two languages😊
Manual juicer from Mueller available on @amazon
#bilingualkids #backyardorchard #pomegranate #pomegranateseason #homesteadlife #homesteadkids #juicing
The pomegranate harvest has picked up! I harvested over 100 this weekend. I have lots of practice now, I’m comfortable picking them without gloves and one handed 😄.
The pomegranates will be eaten raw, juiced, made into jam, sold, and given away.
#pomegranateseason #backyardorchard #bayareahomesteaders #backyardfruit #pomegranate
Ollas are so expensive to order online due to shipping costs. If you’re local, head down to this place in Sunol. It’s right off the highway. These massive ollas are only $15. They look like they hold at least 2 gallon.
This place also has loads of different types of pots, and garden statues. There is also a decent selection of houseplants, and a small section of outdoor plants.
Ollas are great for keeping plants watered. I’ll be burying these in large planters on my deck where I am not planning on stringing drip irrigation to.
Planting Justice nursery has the most amazing selection I’ve ever seen, but is also chaotic and clearly understaffed. Unlike a traditional nursery they are a nonprofit, and a huge asset to our community 🥰. If you aren’t local, they do ship.
I’ll definitely be visiting again! What an amazing selection of plants at affordable prices. Here’s the list of what I got, for less than $200.
Sugarcane jujube tree (forgot to mention in the video)
Blueberry- Misty and Biloxi
Dragonfruit- Haley’s Comet and Physical Graffiti
Tree collard (perennial)
D’aubenton Panache Kale (perennial)
Turkish Rocket (perennial)
Purple Possum Passion Fruit
Issai hardy kiwi
Golden Goji Berry
Purple passion Asparagus
Nanking Bush Cherry
Pineapple Guava (feijoa) Alberts Supreme
#foodforest #plantingjustice #dragonfruit #zone9bplants #perrenialvegetables @planting.justice
It’s officially watermelon season! Here is a quick pickle you can do with your watermelon rind. It’s a great addition to salad or mixed with salsa! @thewesternwanderwoman reminded me of this when she posted her watermelon rind candy reel 🤤.
Ingredients
Watermelon rind- peeled
1.5 cup vinegar (any kind)
1/2 cup filtered water
1 tbsp uniodized salt
2 tbsp sugar (or more to taste)
Bring everything to a boil. Increase the liquid solution depending on how much watermelon peel you have. You just need enough solution to submerge all the watermelon peel in the jar.
Refrigerate overnight and it’s ready to eat! These are quick pickles and need to be kept in the fridge.
#watermelonrind #pickles #homesteadingforbeginners
😩Chooks keep getting in…This little chicken is an Olive Egger. I think she is a Creme Legbar x Cuckoo Maran cross. To get olive eggs, she needs one copy of a blue egg gene and another copy of a very dark brown egg gene. She lays small olive eggs and is a decent layer.
#oliveegger #homesteading #backyardchickens #bayareahomestead #zone9b #raisedbeds
