George Shirley wrote:

> I'm getting ready to blanch and freeze a bunch of green beans this
> morning. Actually the beans are purple but they turn green when cooked.
> Also have a 3-gallon bucket of sweet chiles (peppers to Yanqui's) to
> deseed, chop, and freeze. Most of these are Longhorns from plants I
> started on January 15, 2003, they slightly froze back during our mild
> winter and I pruned and fed them in February and they are really producing.
> The Tatume and trombocino squash are loaded with blooms and small
> squash, looks like another bumper year around here. The sweet kumquat is
> loaded with blooms so it won't be long before I feed it and spray it
> with 80% sulphur to keep the citrus rust mites in check. We've already
> put up several trays of lemon juice cubes and the Ponderosa lemon is
> loaded with both fruit and blooms. Figs are coming on like gang busters
> and the Fuyu persimmon is loaded with fruit, I've been combating white
> scale on that tree and seem to be winning.
> Noticed the first eggplant of the season this morning, about six inches
> long, may have some broiled eggplant and squash to go with the grilled
> steaks on Memorial Day.
> Life is good.

I tried pickling figs last year. It was interesting, but very very cloying
sweet. Would rather have them dried. The dried fig jam, very highly spiced,
came out tasting a little like mincemeat and was purely addictive - something
about the cinnamon & cloves I think.
Snatched 1 batch of California beets from the store to make as samples.
Read in newspaper favorite farmer had his beets ready and wanted samples for
his table at Farmers' Market this a.m. Sold whole case of half-pints red wine
pickled beets before 9 am. Sold all of fresh dried bay leaf by 10. I don't
make a lot of money, but it's fun. Learned why also that traditionally dressed
Muslim lady did not want to sample my world famous *red wine* flavored beets.
Learn somthin new every day don't I?
We'll be having grilled pattypans, asparagus, and cole slaw, all from the
Farmer market produce. That honking big pork roast is from someplace else.
Edrena