#lowbush is best

[audiovisualrecall]

Ohh noo it's so tempting aaaaa

[leebrontide]

Shorty Squad, Assemble!

So we have this sidewalk going from the detached garage to the house- it's the full length of the garage, plus a bit. Right now it's flat, it's boring, and it's pretty ugly.

But it's also hopefully going to be the barrier between a needed walkway and a big open playset area for beans. Which means I don't want to put anything tall, or fragile, or thorny along that path because it's inevitably going to have kids going over or through it a bunch.

It's surprisingly hard to find really low to the ground shrubby plants. There's a lot of "drawf shrub! Only grows to 5 ft!" ads out there. That is not helpful to me. I want that hint of structure, but I think the best scenario is something kids can hop over.

The plot is very sunny, but pretty dry and, like the whole yard, probably pretty acidic.

I think the plan is going to be a mixed hedge comprised of

Lowbush Blueberries

which only get 1-2ft tall, have tasty fruits, and like low-nutrient acidic soil.

We're particularly looking at Brunswick, Tophat, and Northsky varieties, as well as our locally native Velvet Leaf and Common Late Lowbush varieties.

2. Lingonberries

Also gets about 1 to 1.5 ft tall. My only connection with lingonberries is the juice at ikea, but I do like that, and if we want to get further into jam-making, this seems like a solid bet.

We're mainly looking at Erntesegen, Linnea, Ruby, Red sunset, or Red pearl varieties.

We don't have room for all of these varieties, so we'll have to whittle things down more in the summer.

Both lowbush blueberries and lingonberries have nice fall color, which is also important to me.

In a perfect world, I would also get my hands on some grouse whortleberries, just for kicks, but I can only find those as seeds, and, as we have established, I'm not great with seeds.

Pookie has now gone off on a complete tangent looking for the tallest, sweetest, most curtain-like highbush blueberries for around the Larch. We'll see where that leads.

[thecandywrites]

Monster March 2023 Day 26- Werewolf Part 2

Puppy Love? Or the Real Thing?

Because we all know that besides the super hot werewolf sex- it's the whole 'you're my mate' thing that draws us in to werewolves in the first place. At least, for me it does. And this is also where the story leaves reality and enters fantasy. And where, I wish things could have gone, had I the courage to actually ask any of those way too fucking hot farm boys- to bend me over between the northern highbush varieties of blueberries (we are talking a single blueberry bush the size of a small car) and plow me better than the fields ever got to be. And I could have gotten just as knocked up as my mom always seemed to be when we would go. The fact that she did it twice and we did it regularly enough that the actual Leducs recognized my mom, watched the belly bump grow during summer and would come back with a little baby the next year? And they would hold my little sisters and tease them that they were almost Leduc babies the same way we have the Gerber Baby. That was fun.

Also, as you can see, I just had to face cast Tim Allen- aka- any 90's kid would recognize Tim- the Tool Man- Taylor as Sasha's dad. And then because my husband loves Justified, I couldn't help but have Nick Searcy, who played Art Mullin on Justified as Tristan's dad. Because in Justified, he played a character who I would have loved to have as a dad or even a father in law.

So even though the Leduc's sold the blueberry part of their berry farm over to the Berry Brothers a few years ago (for nealy 20 million, which, good for them.) But it let them focus on the Leduc Strawberry Farm. And the Berry Brothers turned that barn that was once just purely there for U-pick stuff and sales of the blueberries the migrant workers picked. And they upgraded that barn. And when I say upgraded, like, UPGRADED. It's all enclosed, air conditioned, it has a bakery, a restaurant/cafe. All blueberry goods and products for sale, including blueberry wine and hard cider. And you can still buy the actual Leduc Blueberries. Granted, they are A LOT more expensive than what they used to be, but, in my humble opinion, still the best and worth every penny. Like my sisters who still live in Michigan, when they come down to visit, they actually drive all the way out there just to get me a 10lb box. I think it costs them like $30 bucks now. But to me? Priceless.

But, the Leduc blueberry is a northern highbush. At least to my knowledge. Which means that bush gets huge but it also has very high chilll hour requirements. And where I live, the weather does not give me those chill hours requirements. And blueberry bushes are finickey enough, that if it's NOT cold enough, they die. Everything else- if it gets a frost, it dies. But not blueberries, they're practically polar bears, they're out there going "Bring it on! You call that cold? It's still above 0, I need that negative numbers baby!" Or at least, that's what it's like for the true northern highbushes.

Which is why I planted Kabluey blueberry bushes, which are southern lowbush crosses which need low chill hours. So I'm not without entirely. It's never going to be the same or as good as Leducs. But damn it, southern Ohio just doesn't have the chill hours to support the northern highbush varieties of blueberries. So southern lowbush with low or no chill hour requirement I must go. Not the same. But better than nothing.

Part 2

The next day, Tristan woke up extra early and braved the cold shower in order to get clean and actually dressed in his nicer work clothes and even worked out a little so he would be good and strong and ready and primed when Frank and hopefully Sasha too would come and was downright antsy all morning. 

Right at 10, a huge box truck, with Wright Plumbing written on the side came into the driveway and Tristan nearly shifted so he could wag his werewolf tail to see Sasha again. She was wearing a Cabella’s baseball cap. And…overalls and even a baggy long sleeved shirt and not a flick of makeup. But she didn’t need it, if anything she was just as pretty now as she had been when he saw her last. But she had a little tupperware container in her hands as she went up to the door, where Tristan and his dad were ready.

“Hello Mr. Leduc, I’m Frank, this is my daughter Sasha who brought you some Kabluey blueberries?” Frank said as he gestured to her before she offered the small tupperware container, opening it up for them as she did so.

“Why thank you, so kindly Miss Sasha.” Chuck smiled happily as he opened it up and took a few and threw them into his mouth as Tristan thrust his hand into the small tupperware container and got some. 

“Oh, oh these are good. Really good! Damn near perfect for a blueberry.” Chuck praised as Tristan nodded in agreement. 

“Tristan said that you know a thing or two about blueberries?” Chuck asked Sasha. 

“Not as much as your son does, obviously. I’m just getting into them. But this place has always had the best blueberries. And so we have a little farm and we worked on the orchard last year  and this year, we’ve been working on the berries, specifically the blueberries and so I got containers for all of them and I’m trying to grow them up to see which ones I like best and then figure out where I want to plant them where they’ll get the right amount of sun and best soil conditions and when which variety will be in season so we can have blueberries throughout the summer, just like you do. So if anything, it’s you and your farm that inspired me and mine. And I’m honored that you would even entertain the idea of trying them. Thank you.” Sasha explained and Chuck was ready to take Tristan down to the jewelry store to buy him an engagement ring right then and there for Sasha. He could see what his son saw- plain as day. And Tristan had been right, just meeting her in person was like being in warm sunshine. Very sweet and very personable. 

“Well I’m honored too. That’s mighty fine praise Miss Sasha. Where’d you find ‘em?” Chuck asked. 

“Oh, I brought the catalog with me. I’ll be right back.” She offered as she put the container into Chuck’s hands before she left and got the catalog and turned it to the page they were featured on and handed it over to him to look over. 

“Huh. Well how about that.” Chuck appraised as he looked it over as he invited them into the house while Tristan got another handful of the blueberries that were practically like candy to him. Because they were- in all honesty, a really good blueberry. But they were also might have been little sapphires- for how precious they were to him. 

“So did your mom go into labor yet?” Tristan asked before Sasha barked a laugh. 

“No, I wish, but the baby did drop, so now my mom can breathe a bit easier. But the other things that are precursors to labor have already happened. So she’s due any day now. But knowing her, it could either be today or a week, if not two weeks from now?.” She shook her head no with a shrug. 

“But I’ll bet you’re still relieved you didn’t have to worry about getting EMT’s into your blueberry field huh? Although nothing feeds fields like blood does. They don’t sell blood meal for nothing. Plus, you guys would have a new kind of Leduc baby on your hands eh?” She offered. And it was when she said the ‘eh’ was a very…Canadian sounding ‘aye’.

“Girl, where’d you get an accent like that? You Canadian?” Chuck asked and Tristan wanted to face palm himself. 

“Oh, she gets that from her mother. Her mother was raised in Alaska.” Frank explained. 

“And all Alaska is- is Canada to the left. So, yeah, strong Canadian accent. And he was stationed at Eielson Airforce Base- right outside Anchorage. So once he finished his servitude, he met my mom and had me and Autumn up there. So technically I’m from there too. But we moved away and moved here once Ellis came along and Grandma and Grandpa needed the help with their declining health.” Sasha explained with a dismissive wave. 

“Ellis?” Chuck asked. 

“Short for Amaryllis. She’s out of her terrible twos and has gone head first into terrorizing threes.” Sasha explained with a light laugh. 

“Mmmhmm.” Tristan hummed and nodded his agreement because his youngest brother just turned four and was just as much of a terrible terrorist as he was when he was two and three, but now was big enough to do real damage when he could and would. Especially when he shifted. 

“So yeah, that makes me Sasha-Sabine, Autumn, Amaryllis, and now Arianna. A single S in a sea of A’s. Like you Dad, living in the middle of the estrogen ocean?” Sasha teased her dad with a crinkle of her adorable nose as her dad barked a laugh. 

“So four, and still not a single boy?” Chuck asked Frank. 

“Nope, my wife says if we have another girl after this, she’s done. What about you?” Frank asked. 

“Oh, I’m on the other end of that spectrum. Four boys. Each one,  even more rough and tumble than the last, we barely got the last one house trained. We kept trying for a girl and after four, my wife just said- no. And little Tyson is four now. And those terrible twos and terrorist threes have compounded into the fearsome fours.” Chuck laughed as Tristan’s cheeks darkened because being ware- house training was a big thing especially once kids would shift at an early age. 

“They’re eating you out of house and home huh?” Frank teased which got Chuck to bark a laugh. 

“You have no idea. I keep tellin them, there’s more than enough blueberries right across the street, just for the picking.” Chuck said as he gestured to where the blueberries were on the other side of the road. 

“Well this one is trying to turn our little farm into one of those self sufficient homestead farms Renee had when she was growing up in Alaska, it’s been their pet project since we built the place in the first place.” Frank listed off as she gestured to his daughter Sasha.  

“Oh, nice.” Chuck smiled approvingly as Sasha started looking more and more like the perfect daughter in law material, especially for Tristan right about now. 

“Well with her gift for it, you better be keeping a good eye on her, or she’ll get scooped up and swept up off her feet by any other farmer, especially the blueberry farming families. I know just about every blueberry farmer from Maryland to here in Michigan all the way out to Minnisota would give just about anything to have a girl like her in their family. Most kids can hardly name their fruits and vegetables, let alone know there is a difference between the different kinds.” Chuck goodnaturedly teased as he gestured to Sasha with the magazine rolled up in his hands as Tristan wanted to die as his cheeks and Sasha’s cheeks went strawberry red. 

“Well that’s why parents should introduce kids to where their food comes from. Like blueberry farms like yours so they can find out for themselves and find out just how much work goes into it in the first place.” Sasha managed to tactfully reply with a polite smile. 

“Aw shucks Miss Sasha, you’re buttering me up like I’m a dinner roll.” Chuck waived off with a fond grin. 

“Speaking of rolls, that’s quite the southern drawl you have, Sir.” Sasha noted. 

“That’s because I’m from the hills of Tennessee. Grew up only a stones throw away from where Dolly Parton built Dollywood.” He explained. 

“Then how’d you get up here?” Sasha asked curiously. 

“Oh this is my wife’s family business. They’re the Lauschs.” He explained. 

“Oh that’s wonderful. And especially from the biodiversity that you guys have on your farms, between the different varieties of blueberries. Not only do you get a longer season, but should one kind fall prey to either a disease or other pest, at least you would have the others to fall back on. So not all your eggs are in one basket, even if all the baskets themselves are blue.” Sasha praised. 

“Girl, you keep talking about that, and Tristan’s kin will hear you and come running from a 200 mile radius, each with an engagement ring, bigger than the last.” Chuck teased Sasha. 

“Ha! Well they need to get in line. She already made a lot of friends in the apple orchard community last year with making her orchard so we can have apples from August to November. But I have a firm- bachelor’s with a degree before bachelors with a T.” Frank insisted before Chuck outright busted up laughing a deep belly laugh. 

“If she was my daughter I’d feel the same way too!” Chuck laughed.

“But enough about me, let’s get a look at that water heater.” Sasha urged her dad and his. 

“Right this way.” Chuck had the pair follow him into the basement where it was as Sasha pulled out a small pad of paper and a pen and started writing things down as Frank started to list them all off and once he was done, Sasha repeated it all back to him to make sure she had heard her dad correctly before double checking which tools he would need first before Frank confirmed that she had heard him right and once he gave her the nod, she left and got to work as he continued to inspect the basement and told them that he was going to shut the water off for a while before Chuck urged Tristan to relay that message to everyone else in the family. 

But when Tristan left the house, he saw Sasha talking to an orc who was also in a Wright Plumbing truck for a moment before she smiled nodded and patted his arm before he drove off again with a waive. 

“Your boyfriend?” Tristan asked. 

“Huh?” She asked as she opened up her dad’s work truck to get the supplies she needed. 

“The …other guy in the Wright Plumbing Truck?” Tristan asked as he gestured to where the orc had driven off to. 

“Oh. No that’s Kihro. That’s my cousin Brianna’s boyfriend. He was just asking if my family was going to be with Brie’s and go to the beach with him and his family this weekend or not. And I told him, I had no idea, it depended on whether or not my mom went into labor or not. So no, he’s not my boyfriend. I don’t have one of those myself, obviously, the whole bachelors with a degree before bachelors with a T is a real thing with myself, my sisters and my dad.” Sasha admitted as she got what she needed from the various compartments in the truck and put them into the five gallon bucket that served as her basket for all intensive purposes. 

“Oh. Well, I’m sorry if my dad embarrassed you with all that, farmers from here to Minnisota with engagement rings…thing. That was a bit excessive.” Tristan offered even though he would have given anything for one right to magically appear in his pocket. 

“It’s ok. Every father who sees plumbing as a respectable profession and sees me as a shoe in with my dad’s business, usually tries to see what it takes for their sons to date me, even when the sons have no personal interest in the first place, so if anything I’m sorry your dad did that and put you on the spot like that, you poor thing. Is he so desperate to get you married off that he tries to pawn you off on every girl who comes to the farm who shows any interest in farming herself?” Sasha asked as she sorted through the coupling attachment bags to get the right ones for the brand new water heater next to her in the back of the truck. 

“Actually no, thank goodness.” Tristan shook his head no. 

“Well, you’re lucky then. Because I get all the time, not from my dad, but every other one I meet who sees me and sees daughter in law material. If it’s not the other contractors, it’s the other businesses owners period because my dad is part of not just the Plumber’s Union, but with the Business Owner’s Association. Trying to make all the business connections they can. And it’s the home shows that they tend to come out in droves.” She muttered rather irritably as she continued to go through the various bins to get what she needed as Tristan felt a sense of panic and a sense of possessiveness try to come over him as he had to reach out and clutch the edge of the door to ground himself to keep himself from shifting to keep himself from scenting her so she at least wouldn’t have an issue with other wares at least. 

“Or the issue that came up with Kihro when he expressed an interest in Brie was that his dad was a partner with our dad’s. And he wanted to make sure it was known that he was doing so because he was genuinely interested in Brianna herself, not because she’s the boss’ daughter or that she has a stake in the company, same as me and same as all of our sisters do too. And the hoops he’s had to jump through to prove that have been quite numerous. Because that’s always going to be an ulterior motive for any other plumber, especially other plumbing outfits who want to either take us over or infiltrate or whatever. It’s something that Brie and I have simply grown up with and gotten used to. Because we are both the ones who get it the most because we spent just about every summer with our dads since we were old enough to read a tape measure. Especially when we’re both our father’s right hand girls and firstborns, and firstborn daughters to boot. Even when we both want nothing to do with plumbing as a career for ourselves.” Sasha explained. 

“Well, I’m sorry you have to deal with that. Must be exhausting having your guard up all the time and always wondering or assuming everyone has an ulterior business motive.” Tristan offered, damning himself with every word as he couldn’t even bring himself to look up at her as Sasha paused and looked at him thoughtfully and couldn’t help but smile crookedly as she subtly shook her head while biting her lip, damning herself for going off like that. Her and her tongue were going to dig her own grave one of these days before she sat down on the end of the truck in the middle to more or less be eye level with him. 

“I’m sorry your dad just practically offered you up to me on a silver platter even when you weren’t even interested just to get immediately shot down and slapped away. That was rather cruel, and I’m sorry.” She offered. 

“Oh, psh, don’t worry about it.” He tried to waive off. 

“Are you saying that to save what’s left of your pride and to ease the discomfort? Or do you really mean what you say when you say that?” Sasha practically whispered. 

“That obvious? Am I actually bleeding?” Tristan sniffed and rubbed at his nose before he tried to joke and look down at his shirt. 

“Ok, let’s clear the air and back it up a minute. And pretend like the last… half an hour didn’t just happen.” Sasha insisted as she did a reverse rolling gesture with her hands. 

“Last week we were friendly acquaintances. Do you want us to stay that way, or would you like for us to actually be friends? Or are you actually, genuinely interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with me?” She asked. 

“Well I was hoping for at least friends.” Tristan offered because at least from there, he could build from there. 

“And seeing where it could and would go from there?” Sasha questioned. 

“Yeah.” Tristan nodded. 

“I’m ok with that. Friends for now, and we’ll see how and where it could go from here.” Sasha smiled as she pat him on the shoulder and then used her touch to help herself to stand up again and finish her task at hand. She was happy he had at least braced himself to lean into it and help her up. Which she appreciated the silent ask and wordless assist, which she took as a very good sign. 

“So beach this weekend? Which one?” Tristan asked hopefully. 

“South Haven. We were getting there in the late afternoon to swim and then grill dinner right on the beach. You and your family could always come there and just happen to run into us there. Because coincidences do occur and you live right off 43 that takes you straight there. That is however, unless my mom goes into labor before then, but if that happens, I could always give you a call.” Sasha offered with a wink that brought a small, but hopeful smile to Tristan’s face at the chance she was giving him as she handed him her phone with a new contact page already brought up on it. 

“Sounds like a plan.” Tristan smiled happily as he happily put his name and number and all other contact information into her phone before he used it to call himself so he would have her number on his phone and add her to his contacts that way. 

“So how are things going on The Wright Birthing Plan homefront?” Tristan asked, trying to bring the focus back to her and back to something he knew she would be more comfortable discussing and the bright, happy smile she gave him was better than any rainbow after a pop up thunderstorm, which he could tell was in the cards for today. 

“Good. I put that 10 dollars into a fund for monogrammed scrubs.” She smiled happily as she took her phone back and slid it into her pocket. 

“My mom works at a maternity center, has been ever since we moved from Alaska to Michigan. Because in Alaska, she was practically on her own besides her own mom and other sisters. And it was my mom who was my aunt’s midwife back in Alaska. And because my dad and his brother George were Irish Twins- when George went to leave home and join the armed forces, my dad went ‘don’t leave without me’. And when my uncle met my aunt, and they got together and got pregnant with Brie, my aunt hired my mom as her midwife and because my dad and my uncle were the only family they had and that’s how my parents met. And by the time my mom delivered Brie, she was already seven months pregnant with me. And when my uncle’s father in law practically adopted my uncle, he adopted my dad too. To the point he’s practically my grandpa too. And when my dad’s biological parent’s health went downhill, my dad and my uncle both moved their families down here and took Granny and Papa with them. But my Mom has been taken it easy and specifically didn’t take on any other new clients since she found out she was expecting, because she didn’t want to be in the middle of labor herself while helping another woman in labor too. Plus Autumn called dibs on staying with my mom today anyway. But it worked out. Because when your dad called last night, I was just testing the Kablueys and they were just right about perfect today. Plus your dad was just teasing anyway. I can take a joke.” Sasha smiled fondly before she took down various pipes down and put them to the side to cut up and use later. 

“He wasn’t joking. That may have been his delivery. But he wasn’t saying that just to tease, he was trying to warn you in all seriousness.” Tristan revealed. 

“Yeah, I got the sense of that too. I can’t blame him honestly. With Corporate Farming taking more and more family farms and turning and burning the land growing only winter wheat, or feed corn or soy just for pork or beef industry. Small family farmers are having to get creative with ways to stay afloat and keep the farm, let alone their livelihood. And the old ways of tending to the land and instead of spraying weedkiller and pesticides to make the soil practically toxic and unable to grow anything other than what you very carefully plant right there all while chopping down habitat, draining lakes to make more fields or outright diverting whole river systems because they’re “inconvenient” to their big corporate plans that look great on paper but are shit in practice. And with the consumer so far removed from where their food comes from. Most of my friends can’t comprehend that that cheap hamburger meat you buy at the supermarket wasn’t born that way and have no idea that red delicious apples are actually supposed to be delicious when you pick them right off the tree when they’re ripe. And not weeks and months before and have to spray wax on them and hope they ripen up and rot before they can ripen in storage while they’re being transported to cities. And that a lot had to happen to get it to that point. And then you have retards on the other end of the spectrum who are all about ‘I only eat organic non GMO’s’ when organic farming can be worse for the environment than traditional or “old fashioned” farming. GMO’s are not the end of the world, GMO’s are the reason we have food supplies year round. Hell every domesticated dog is a GMO. And to get people to realize that with everything- there’s a damn spectrum. And neither side is necessarily “wrong”. But that don’t make ignorance about any of it “right” either. But that’s just my humble opinion. Don’t have to like it or even agree with it. I’m sure you could probably talk my ears off about it yourself.” Sasha appraised. 

“Actually, you and I see eye to eye on…everything you just said about it. I absolutely agree, there’s a spectrum to farming. And while monoculture is dangerous. Because if every house in the neighborhood has the same lock to their doors, and the burglar has the key to the lock, the whole neighborhood is compromised. But the big corporate farms don’t care. It’s all about what’s on paper and what the stock market does, without a care at all about the land and the surrounding area itself. GMO’s have their place, as long as it’s within reason and there’s a balance between them and the heirloom varieties of things. Hell I don’t think anyone would even recognize what corn, or watermelon or anything else used to look like before civilization got ahold of it. Because I can tell you, I know of several farmers tried to go full organic and they get people who drive hours just to come and get their non-GMO - organic whatever. But those people are flakey at best and while they preach Non-GMO and only organic. It’s not always what they practice, and will usually fall back on the comfort of the familiar and convenience. And honestly, in my own humble opinion, it’s usually not worth that fancy sticker they like to put on it.” Tristan offered. 

“Well I’m happy we can agree on that much at least and we definitely see eye to eye. And a lot of people have no idea, that in order to get that produce for door buster deals, it’s either mechanized farming or someone is getting underpaid to pick it in the first place. So what I like to ask those uppity snobs is- what’s worse? Abusing people or abusing the land and the environment? Because the only way to not do either- is to do it yourself. And frankly those same people are just way too lazy to do it themselves, from the comfort of their Lazy-Boy while their foreign and underprivileged housekeeper sweeps under their lazy asses.” 

“Amen!” Tristan practically crooned before they gave each other a high five which got them to both laugh. 

“But I still appreciate your dad’s warning all the same. Every really good mom tends to want to adopt and look out for every child within line of sight and earshot or hell, a five to fifty mile radius and every good dad tends to do the same. And if you don’t have any sisters. I probably represent what he would want most in one if he got one himself.” Sasha shrugged. 

“You do.” Tristan nodded in confirmation. 

“Well, he wouldn’t be the first to give that kind of warning, I’ve heard it way too many times already and I’ve heeded it best I can. Last year when I was picking out apples to plant in my own mini orchard, I had the same thing happen with all of those families too. Every dad in the business who had kids who wanted nothing to do with the family farm had the same reaction that your dad just had. So, again, I’m used to it. It happens to me, every time I interact with anyone my parent’s age.” Sasha sighed as she waived it off while she double checked her check list off as her shoulders sagged a bit and Tristan worried that himself and his dad probably pushed things too far and suddenly in Sasha’s eye, let alone mind and heart got grouped in with all the others, and in trying to get a chance, they blew it as Tristan took a step back before Sasha turned her attention back to him. 

“Hey Tristan?” She asked. 

“Yeah?” He asked as he took two steps forward. 

“Are you expected to stay in the blueberry business? Or was there something else you wanted for your life instead?” Sasha asked him. 

“Oh, technically I don’t have to. My older brother Gabe says he’s gonna take it over for my dad.” Tristan answered. 

“Well do you even like it? Or is it simply just - all you know?” Sasha asked thoughtfully, without a hint of judgment. Which helped Tristan feel comfortable confiding in her. 

“Eh, it’s ok. But I feel kinda stupid because it kinda is what I know most about.” He admitted. 

“Well you could always go into an adjacent field or be the bridge between this one and something else.” She offered. 

“How do you mean?” Tristan asked curiously. 

“Well, last year, when I was researching what apples to get for my little hobby farm. I talked to a lot of the apple orchard farmers. And how they feel like they have one kid to pass on the family farm to. But another one who has no idea what to do but they don’t really want the farm itself, just something of their own, related but not the same. So because Saint Julian has their winery close by. You could always partner up and make a blueberry wine. Or you could even join a micro brewery or even start your own and do something akin to hard cider but with blueberries. Because a lot of the apple orchards are getting into the hard cider business with a lot of their excess from the traditional U-pick style. You could always do something like that. And with my family and our business, we service a lot of other businesses so we were able to make some introductions. So there’s always that. Although this year, the apple guys are getting their feet wet so to speak and at least will be making small batches of hard cider. Which they promised me and Brie at least a cup of.” Sasha shrugged again. 

“How old are you?” He asked in astonishment. 

“I’ll be 18 in September, why? How old are you?” She asked. 

“Just turned 18 last month. But you talk and act like you’re twice as old as you are.” Tristan praised. 

“Yeah, first born daughters get that. Because first born sons are their mother’s little princes half the time. My Cousin Brie, the middle child in her family is a boy- Gavin- and you’d think he was the prince of his principality, spoiled brat, damn addicted to fortnight and roblox. But that’s better than him being addicted to porn I think.” Sasha grumbled before Tristan outright choked on his spit. 

“You ok?” Sasha asked. 

“Yeah, just…wow, you have no problems speaking your mind. And I wasn’t expecting you to go there. But you did and I respect it. And admire it, it’s refreshing. I like it that you don’t mince your words or beat about the bush. I like it that you’re pretty frank at least it’s easy to tell where anyone stands with you.” Tristan once he regained his own composure even though he was sure his ears were as red as rhubarb. 

“Yeah, I get in trouble for it a lot too. Because I lack “tact” and “discretion” and I usually offend people about two seconds after I make them laugh.” Sasha admitted. 

“Well I ain’t offended yet. Not even close.” Tristan reassured her which earned him another appreciative smile. 

“Thanks. Anyway, what I was trying to say before was that first born daughters are the second mothers- to the younger siblings. They’re the second wives to their fathers as far as domestic labor goes, like doing dishes and laundry and cooking and all that. They are therapists, confidants and assistants to their mothers. And while boys are encouraged to go out and play and do sports. It’s girls who usually have to be inside and learn how to fold more than just their own laundry, but everyone else’s. And how to fold towels and blankets and how to get various kinds of stains out and all that too. So what you see as a mature, is in reality, our childhoods are simply taken and replaced with more responsibilities than anyone else and we are forced to grow up and be mature faster than every other child in our age group because we’re expected to, and things go to shit if we don’t.” Sasha expounded. 

“And more and more, you’re seeing women having to join the workforce on top of doing all the domestic labor too, which for me, is bullshit. Because if you share your home with someone, it better be as someone who is an equal in all things. If you’re hungry? Learn how to cook. If your clothes are dirty? Learn how to wash them. If things are dirty, clean it up. Especially if it’s your own mess. Men have two hands too, learn to do that shit too. And don’t think that just because a guy has a 9-5 that gets them out of doing any of the domestic labor in the first place. And more and more women are realizing that men need to bring more to a relationship than a penis and a paycheck. Because women deserve the same pay for the same work and vibrators are totally a thing.” Sasha stressed before she looked pointedly at Tristan. 

“Still not offended. Still in agreement.” Tristan nodded which got her to smile victoriously. 

“So what most don’t think to realize is - is by doing that to girls, firstborn daughters especially, you make incredibly strong, independent, entirely self-sufficient individuals who expect the same of their domestic partners. And the reason you saw me talking to Brie’s amazing boyfriend, is because he is also one of those kinds of people. He may work with my dad and my uncle, but by the gods in heaven above, he is his own man in every respect. He could start his own plumbing business tomorrow if he really wanted to because he helps his dad run the downtown branch in Kazoo. How he got out here, is he went to get Brie some blueberries because she’s down again because her health isn’t the best. But he does his own laundry in addition to the family’s laundry, he does dishes, helps his siblings with their homework and cooks. And not just cooks, like finger licking- stick to your ribs- soul food kind of cooking too. And my cousin and I are both pretty good cooks, but he can cook us both practically under the table, when he’s not drinking us under the table in the process. Now granted he ain’t perfect. But he’s my gold standard for guys. But he’s like the one in a million kind of guy. And while I’m happy for Brie, I just wish the universe made, like a second one of him. Because my luck with guys is dismal at best and that’s why I am doing by best to cling to that bachelor’s with a degree instead of a T thing- no matter how tempting any guy usually appears for all of about five minutes before I say just the right or wrong thing and I get to unlock that ugly, self entitled, selfish prick asshole side they try to hide from me.” Sasha grumped as she managed to get the toolbox her dad would need out from under the bench where he had practically shoved it into place last. 

“Because usually when fathers ask what kind of guy it’ll take to court myself and my sisters and cousins, when we answer that it’ll be a guy who is grown, independent, completely self sufficient and is willing and capable to cook his own meals, clean his own dishes, clean his own house instead of just his vehicle and only his vehicle. And keep it that way and keep a house the same as any female homemaker is expected to- on top of their own secular work. Because that’s the bare minimum every single mother is expected to do and be. And if he can’t be the same. He’s not worth my time, or any of my sister’s time or any of my cousin’s time.” Sasha explained and Tristan suddenly felt the strongest, most intense self possession to do and be exactly that. And now he had goals to make and reach for himself. Because that was the standard a real woman like Sasha wanted and needed for himself and he felt he needed to rise to it. 

“I agree. So the brewery and the winery things sound great. You’ve done me and my family a great service, not just with this and the Kabluey blueberry thing. But those both sound like great ideas. How much would it be for an introduction into those ventures?” Tristan asked as Sasha was impressed he hadn’t argued with her about the whole domestic chores- thing. Most guys usually did. Or usually backed off and backed away at that point. But if anything Tristan had taken a strong, confident but still relaxed stance and his body language showed he wasn’t trying to hide or conceal anything and not put on a front either, which Sasha really appreciated. 

“Oh, it’d be free, you just would have to be in agreement with your brothers and your dad about it. Because you said they have the farm right?” Sasha reminded him as she began to really appraise just what kind of man was before her. He was strong like she expected any hard working farm boy to be. But he had modern and forward ways of thinking and seemed to strike a nice balance between the two. No wonder she was drawn to him as much as she was and she found she was desperately trying to grasp at straws here trying to find something, anything that would be something to make him not look like the damn fine young man he seemed to be when they saw each other last.  

“Well, not all of it. I currently have my name on about fifty acres myself. It’s where my parents are trying to cross breed a few varieties so we will have an official Leduc variety of blueberry.” He revealed. It was supposed to be a super top secret family secret that had been the last few years in the making. But for Sasha, if it was something that could make him stand out and separate himself in her mind from all the others, he was going to take it and use it.  

“Now that is what you need to bring to the table when you meet with the wineries and other microbreweries along with a variety of blueberries and their different characteristics because they may see something different in what you have than you do.” Sasha encouraged him. 

“What about breweries?” Chuck asked as he and Frank joined them outside before Sasha handed her dad the bucket of items she had collected for him and gave him the corresponding toolbox he would need. 

“Oh I was asking Tristan what he wanted do with his future. And when he mentioned that he wasn’t entirely sure, I suggested to him the same thing I told all the other kids of the orchards I visited last year, to go into an adjacent field. So a lot of the orchards are getting into the hard cider business and starting their own microbreweries to go with it. And with blueberries, they have plenty of sugars. You could totally make a blueberry hard cider or even go to the wineries. Saint Julian is pretty close to here, you could meet with them and make a blueberry wine or learn how to make your own. Or you could take Leduc farms and really make it- it’s own destination. Not just a u-pick farm. But Tristan clued me into the fact that you’re trying to cross breed different varieties, he didn’t tell me which ones, but you were trying to make your own official Leduc blueberry. So take it and either come out with a line of blueberry goods, more than just the whole- pies, muffins, scones and other baked goods, candies, fruit snacks, jellies and jams. But things like pancake mixes, salsas, wine, beer. The possibilities are endless really.” Sasha explained. 

“If you don’t mind me saying so.” Sasha added when she had a hard time reading Chuck’s surprised and floored expression.

“Sorry, did I overstep my bounds again and tell people their own business again Dad? I’m sorry. I do that. It’s not very professional…” Sasha began to apologize before Tristan and his dad both immediately interrupted her.

“No! No! Not at all! That’s brilliant! Frank, seriously. You need to be paying her the same wage you pay yourself for the hard work she does. And, Young Lady. You need to be charging by the hour to give that kind of business advice. Most business experts would charge thousands of dollars for what you just did. In fact, Miss Sasha, let me get you my checkbook, and write you a check right now for that.” Chuck insisted. 

“No, no, it’s ok. We were just bouncing ideas off of each other. It’s not meant to be business advice like that.” Sasha immediately put her hands up to stop him. 

“She even said she has contacts she could put us into contact with- for both the winery and the microbreweries.” Tristan added to his dad. 

“Well, shoot. Little Lady, you do that, I’ll give you every variety of blueberry bush we have here and every one you could ever want from here to the U.P. to Maryland to Minnisota to Indiana and even Ohio and Pennsylvania. Hell, you put us in touch with those folks and we’ll name a beverage after you and give you the royalties to it too.” Chuck offered and for once Sasha’s pretty blue eyes nearly popped out of her head. 

“Deal.” Frank agreed before he urged Sasha to pull her phone out and make those phone calls to get Chuck and his family in touch with her other contacts while Tristan helped Frank with what he needed while learning all they could from him while Chuck and his wife Crystal and their son Gabe talked to Sasha at the kitchen table as she made phone calls and set up meet and greets for them. 

“You like Sasha don’t you?” Frank asked Tristan as they worked in the basement as Tristan got to learn the names of different kinds of tools and learn what fittings were what as he helped Frank since Sasha was busy with his dad and his eldest brother.  

“I do.” Tristan confirmed. 

“Sasha has a lot of boys after her. Always has since she became a teenager. So I’ll give you the same advice I gave all of them. Sasha has had to grow up fast, not entirely by choice either. And while I regret I took a lot from her childhood early on because my father in law and my brothers were trying to start this business, because she’s had to grow and mature so early- it means she won’t put up with any immaturity in anyone else. She has no tolerance for abuse of any kind and won’t put up with any shit from anyone for anything, traditions and customs be damned. She’s a very driven individual and has always had a clear vision of what she wants for herself and all the steps she has to take to get there. So she’s going to probably want someone similar to herself in those respects. And while she can be spontaneous and fun loving, she’s also pretty serious about a lot of things. And she won’t like to take something that is a hobby for her, and have all the fun she has doing it- taken out of it- by always thinking about money and the bottom line and making a fun hobby into a side hustle and grind. She doesn’t do anything half assed and she goes head first into everything she wants to do. She’s an all in kind of girl. So beware ok? Don’t let those big blue eyes, blonde hair and cute button nose fool you, I’ve seen her cut people down to the core with a look and a remark. That razor sharp wit she has, can be either hilarious or hurtful and not much in between.” Frank honestly warned him. 

“Yeah, I’ve noticed.” Tristan nodded.  

“Our family has had to go through some hard times so I’m pretty sure the reason why she’s so hell bent on having a homestead farm is because in Alaska there was a lot of food scarcity because of the 9 months of solid winter. So ever since she’s been in charge of cooking and keeping track of our pantry. She keeps it full at all times. And it almost borders on food hoarding. But we are a big family and we go through it pretty well. So I know there’s a saying that ‘the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’. That’s true for her. The way to her heart is through hers, at least what I’ve seen. Her cousin Brie is dating an orc and Sasha has turned greener than the orc Brie’s dating ever was- with jealous and envy that he cooks for Brie when she can’t even get her own mother to make more than a salad or her own sister to bake anything other than cookies from a tub of cookie dough and while her and I do a lot of BBQ together, especially on the weekends. Through the week, it falls to her most of the time. So maybe start there.” Frank revealed in a low murmur. 

“Duly noted.” Tristan nodded in understanding. 

“Oh and she’s into horses too. She wants to get a blue roan and call it Kabluey just like those blueberries.” Frank added. 

“Blue roan horse, food, self sufficiency and independence, got it.” Tristan repeated. 

“Good, now, hand me that coupling.” Frank urged as he pointed to it before Tristan handed it over. 

It took most of the morning, but once Frank got everything cut out and unhooked, then all the guys loaded up the water heater onto a dolly and got it out of the basement and out of the house so the new one could get put back in as Sasha was relieved to get the help and simply get the doors for them to help with getting the old out and the new put back in and turned it on and it worked like a dream before Frank and Chuck settled up while Crystal, Chuck’s wife and Mandy, Gabe’s wife, gave Sasha a bunch of recipes for blueberry baked goods while Sasha swapped them for other recipes she had picked up from the orchards she had worked with last year that she had memorized as Crystal seemed practically enchanted with Sasha and the fact that Mandy and Sasha immediately hit it off and got along as Sasha was keen to see Mandy’s little baby bump and talk pregnancy stuff over because of Sasha’s midwifing background.

Then Crystal got Sasha in touch with a family friend who had horses, specifically those blue roans that Sasha seemed keen on getting and insisted that if Sasha’s mom wasn’t in labor, she needed to come to these meet and greets too, which Frank urged Sasha to attend which seemed to surprise her, because surely the family van would be in service elsewhere during. But Frank waived off that he would see to it that she’d have transportation for the events which caused Sasha to look at her dad curiously but not put up any other argument but simply agree that she’d be there to make the introductions in person. 

“She’s perfect.” Crystal told Tristan the moment they saw Frank and Sasha off. 

“Mom!” Tristan immediately ducked and flushed in embarrassment. 

“Hey, when it’s the one, it’s the one. And if she’s your mate, she’s your mate, don’t let anything or anyone else get in the way.” Crystal urged him. 

“Mom, she may not even be my mate, this might just be puppy love and puppy love never lasts.” He contested. 

“Yet your eyes shifted every time you looked at her when she wasn’t looking at you and you thought no one else was looking.” Crystal insisted before his dad put the catalog to his son’s chest. 

“Why are you giving me this?” Tristan asked. 

“Don’t turn into a stalker, but that’s her address, Son. Take a drive, check it out and see just how high the bar she’s set up- is.” His dad encouraged him as Tristan looked at the address on the catalog and suddenly cradled the catalog to his chest like it was the most precious thing in the world. But he had to play this, very, very carefully and not fuck it up. 

[sfarticles]

Blueberries are a succulent superfood

Check out my latest column

Last week I drove past the winding country road leading to the now-defunct blueberry farm where at least a couple of times during the summer I would stop to pick several buckets of my favorite summer fruit. It reminded me that I have not yet paid homage to the blueberry.

Though July is National Blueberry Month, it is never too late to celebrate this tiny fruit that is packed with many nutritional benefits. And, National Blueberry Muffin Day was July 11, an extra reason to indulge in a freshly baked treat with blueberries bursting with flavor.

Abundant this time of year, the succulent superfood is believed to have multiple health benefits. With a flavor that ranges between tart and sweet, blueberries can be used in myriad ways; the plump ones seem to be the sweeter ones.

There are two types of blueberries, lowbush and highbush. The ones we purchase at supermarkets, farm stands and markets are usually the latter. The wild lowbush variety is smaller and is processed into jams, juices, pie fillings, purees, etc. New England, especially Maine, as well as Canada are known for this kind.

According to the Blueberry Council, 10 states spanning the country produce 98% of U.S.-grown, highbush blueberries.

For those of us who crave blueberries year-round, Florida’s peak production season is March and April; and during our winter, South America is experiencing summer, and their crops are at their peak.

Wild blueberries are the lowbush type and are not planted, as they grow naturally. Living in the Northeast, many of us visit Maine, known for its wild blueberries. Did you know the Pine Tree State provides the bulk of the U.S. wild blueberry crop?

Although the pick-your-own farm is gone, I am still an avid fan of these blue gems. This time of year, my cart at the market usually has a pack or two. A recent sale coerced me to purchase four. With so many on hand and for inspiration, I perused my cookbook collection for recipes.

“Blueberry Love: 46 Sweet and Savory recipes for Pie, Jams, Smoothies, Sauces, and More,” by Cynthia Graubart. (2021, Storey Publishing, $12.95) was perfect. With recipes for jumbo, bakery-style, ginger-blueberry muffins; warm grilled chicken and blueberry salad; succulent pie; or even blueberry vodka, Graubart, a James Beard Award-winning author, created recipes that make blueberries center stage. She shares a few below.

These tips by the author will come in handy:

• Blueberries should be stored unwashed.

• To freeze fresh berries, spread them out on a baking sheet, unwashed and freeze. Rinse before using.

• To boost blueberry flavor, mix in some wild blueberries with cultivated ones in most recipes.This one surprised me…The adage of tossing blueberries in flour to prevent them from sinking in baked goods is ineffective.

Jumbo Bakery-­Style Ginger-­Blueberry Muffins

The headnote says: “These fluffy, big bakery-­style muffins have it all — taste, texture, and eye appeal — and were awarded a blue ribbon in the Machias Wild Blueberry Festival in Maine in 2019. A light zing of ginger, a little zip of spice, and the crunch from the topping of coarse sugar fit the bill. If the muffins aren’t devoured in one sitting, slice one open, toast, and slather with butter for a treat later. These muffins are best made with fresh blueberries.”

Makes 6 jumbo muffins

Ingredients:

3 cups all-­purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 cup milk

½ cup canola oil or other neutral oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

¼ cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

Decorating sugar or other large-­grain sugar

Directions:

1. Set an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a jumbo six-­muffin pan with cooking spray or coat lightly with oil.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Add the granulated sugar and whisk until thoroughly combined, at least 30 seconds.

3. Break up the eggs in a medium bowl with a whisk and whisk in the milk, oil, vanilla, and almond extract.

4. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour the egg mixture into the well. Using a silicone spatula, fold the egg mixture into the flour, scraping the bottom of the bowl at each turn. Mix gently but quickly. Avoid overmixing the batter.

5. Toss the blueberries and ginger on top of the batter and fold gently to incorporate the berries. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup to the rim. Sprinkle the tops with decorating sugar.

6. Bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees  and bake for 25 to 26 minutes longer, or until tops are light golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (avoiding a blueberry). Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Serve warm, or transfer to a wire rack to cool for storing. These muffins freeze well.

(Keller + Keller Photography)

Blueberry and Red Onion Salsa

The headnote says: “Grab the chips and enjoy this special summertime salsa. Reserve a small basil leaf or two for garnishing the top of the salsa. Substitute white wine vinegar or another light vinegar if white balsamic is not available.“

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh blueberries

3 tablespoons minced red onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Smash half of the blueberries in the bottom of a small bowl with a potato masher or other implement.

2. Add the remaining blueberries, the onion, basil, and vinegar, and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Refrigerate until serving. This may be made up to 8 hours in advance.

 (Keller + Keller Photography)

Blueberry, Watermelon, Feta Cheese and Mint Salad

The headnote says: “This salad is summer in a bowl. The red, white, and blue combination brightens any summer meal. For a significant side dish, place this fruit salad on a bed of mixed greens.”

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar

½ cup extra-­virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups watermelon, cut into ½ -­inch cubes

1 pint fresh blueberries

6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled or grated

Chopped fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, or rosemary

Directions:

1. Combine the mustard and honey in a small bowl. Whisk in the vinegar. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the oil and continue whisking until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Place the watermelon, blueberries and cheese in a large bowl. Serve with the reserved dressing and top with fresh herbs to taste. If making ahead, dress just before serving.

 (Keller + Keller Photography)

Salmon Fillets With Blueberry-­Onion Jam Glaze

The headnote says: “Salmon is a year-­round favorite, and blueberries love vinegar and onions, making a savory topping for the fish. Double the jam ingredients and use extra with any leftovers as an innovative sandwich spread.”

Makes 4–6 servings

Ingredients:

Jam:

1 tablespoon extra-­virgin olive oil

2 onions, sliced

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1 cup water

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1–2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salmon:

4–6 salmon steaks or fillets

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Make the jam:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the oil and onions and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the onions are wilted and starting to turn brown, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Stir in the blueberries, water, and vinegar. Increase the heat to medium and cook until the blueberries have softened, about 5 minutes. Season with the sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Cook the salmon:

3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the salmon fillets on the sheet and season with salt and pepper.

4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon (about 10 minutes per inch of thickness), until the salmon is still slightly pink in the center. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and spoon a portion of the jam glaze over each fillet. Garnish with basil leaves, if desired, and serve hot.

(Keller + Keller Photography)

Homemade Blueberry Vodka

The headnote says: “True blueberry flavor shines in this homemade blueberry vodka, making it a great choice for drinking in a blueberry martini (page 68 shares one of the author’s favorite recipes). Plan ahead to infuse the vodka for five days, yielding the most flavorful results.”

Makes 1 (750 mL) bottle

Ingredients

4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons water

1 (750 mL) bottle vodka (about 3 cups)

Directions:

1. Cook the blueberries, sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat until the blueberries are soft and release their juices, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2. Combine cooled blueberry mixture and vodka in a large nonreactive bowl and cover loosely. Let stand at room temperature for 4 hours.

3. Cover and refrigerate for 5 days, or until the vodka has been infused with the blueberry flavor.

4. Strain out the solids by pouring the mixture through a fine-­mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth into a glass jar or decanter. Gently press on the solids to extract a little more juice but avoid squeezing as that releases more sediment. Discard the solids, or reserve them to make No-­Waste Blueberry Butter (This recipe is on page 26 in the book or at https://stephenfries.com/recipes

5.Blueberry vodka keeps for 3 months in the refrigerator or for 6 months in the freezer in an airtight container.

Recipes excerpted from “Blueberry Love” by Cynthia Graubart, copyright 2021. Used with permission from Storey Publishing.

Stephen Fries is professor emeritus and former coordinator of the Hospitality Management Programs at Gateway Community College in New Haven, Conn. He has been a food and culinary travel columnist for the past 17 years and is co-founder of and host of “Worth Tasting,” a culinary walking tour of downtown New Haven, and three-day culinary adventures around the U.S. He is a board member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Email him at Stephen@stephenfries.com. For more, go to stephenfries.com.

[downtoearthmarkets]

We’ve got some berry good news to share as we’re firmly ensconced in berry season right now! Our farmers markets are awash in vibrant jewel tones from deep purples to grenadine reds as endless trays of juicy, ripe berries take center stage in farmstall displays over the next few weeks. These delicious, bite-sized beauties pack a powerful punch of superfood goodness in each little nugget, so let’s revel in peak berry season while it lasts. Strawberries While the exact origins of strawberry plants are scientifically unknown, they're thought to be indigenous to North and South America as well as Europe and Asia. Fragaria virginiana, a perennial species of strawberry plant native to eastern North America, was especially important to American Indians in this region who relished its fruit in their diet long before European settlers arrived. In fact, June was known to many tribes as the “Strawberry Moon”, as it was the month when most wild strawberries would begin to ripen. While the strawberries you find in the farmers market are a cultivated version of these OG berries, they will taste delectable in this Strawberry Spoon Bread recipe made with fresh fruit and cornmeal in a nod to its Native American heritage: Ingredients

2 pints fresh farmers market strawberries, hulled and quartered

3 cups Goodness Dairy whole milk, divided

3 tablespoons SOVA Farms butter

3 large Great Joy Family Farm, SOVA Farms or Stone & Thistle Farm eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons Newgate Farms honey

2 cups Goodness Dairy heavy whipping cream

1 cup Great Joy Family Farm cornmeal

3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Raspberries Following hot on the heels of their carmine cousin, raspberries make an entrance into the farmers market by mid-late June. The American red raspberry is indigenous to North America and was utilized by native tribes who often dried the berries for preservation and ease of transportation. European settlers brought their own native species of raspberries with them to the colonies and began to cultivate and breed them. Today, most commercially grown red raspberries in North America have ancestry from both the European (Rubus idaeus) and North American (Rubus strigosus) populations. Raspberries are an excellent source of fiber and vitamin C, making them a smart snack at any time of day. This easy-to-make, low-sugar Raspberry Coulis will add the wow factor to a bowl of Goodness Dairy vanilla ice cream or Willow Pond Sheep Farm yogurt and will transform pancakes, waffles, oatmeal and more from ordinary to extraordinary. Cherries While they’re botanically considered a drupe or stone fruit rather than a berry, baskets of sweet cherries can be found cozying up to rows of colorful berries in the farmers market by mid-June. Like strawberries, cherries stop ripening the moment they’re harvested, so it’s best to store them in the fridge where they will stay fresh for up to a week. The most common type of sweet cherry grown in this region is the Bing, which tends to be a dark, mahogany red that’s almost black in tone when fully ripe. Cherries freeze well in airtight plastic bags -- with or without pits -- which means you can extend the benefits of cherry season well beyond its expiration. Blueberries  As we move across the seasonal color spectrum from reds to blues, aptly named blueberries are typically ready to harvest by late June. Both wild and cultivated commercial blueberries are all native to North America. Species with small, pea-size fruit growing on low-level bushes are known as "lowbush blueberries" (synonymous with "wild"), while cultivated plants with larger berries growing on taller bushes are known as "highbush blueberries". Blueberries are one of the richest sources of antioxidants, including vitamins A and C, and flavonoids like quercetin and anthocyanidin, making them a nutritional superfood. The silvery sheen (or “bloom”) found on the skin of blueberries is a naturally occurring compound that helps protect the fruit, which is why you should only wash blueberries right before you’re going to eat them. As we celebrate the riot of fresh fruit and colorful produce currently making a flamboyant splash at the farm stands, we wish you a very merry berry and cherry season and look forward to seeing you in the farmers market this weekend.

[the-boyo1]

The Blueberry Bonanza: Exploring Nature’s Tiny Powerhouse

Blueberries, those tiny spheres of flavor bursting with goodness, are much more than just a tasty treat. Packed with antioxidants, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals, blueberries offer a plethora of health benefits that make them a true superfood.

Antioxidants are compounds that help protect your cells from damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals. Blueberries are particularly rich in antioxidants like anthocyanins, which give them their deep blue color. These antioxidants help combat oxidative stress and inflammation in the body, reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

In addition to their antioxidant properties, blueberries are also an excellent source of fiber. Fiber is important for digestive health, as it helps regulate bowel movements and prevents constipation. It also helps lower cholesterol levels, stabilize blood sugar levels, and promote a healthy weight.

Blueberries are also loaded with vitamin C, which is essential for immune function and skin health. Vitamin C helps strengthen the immune system, making it easier for your body to fight off infections and illnesses. It also plays a role in collagen production, which is important for maintaining healthy skin and preventing signs of aging.

Furthermore, blueberries contain a variety of other vitamins and minerals, including vitamin K, manganese, and potassium. Vitamin K is important for bone health and blood clotting, while manganese is involved in metabolism and bone formation. Potassium helps regulate blood pressure and supports heart health.

With their sweet flavor and numerous health benefits, it’s no wonder that blueberries are often hailed as one of nature’s greatest gifts. Whether enjoyed fresh, frozen, or dried, incorporating blueberries into your diet is an easy and delicious way to boost your health and well-being. So go ahead, indulge in nature’s tiny powerhouse and reap the rewards of this nutritional treasure

FAQS

What are the health benefits of eating blueberries?

Blueberries are rich in antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins C and K. They promote heart health, support brain function, aid in digestion, and may reduce the risk of chronic diseases like cancer.

How many calories are in a serving of blueberries?

A one-cup serving of fresh blueberries contains about 84 calories.

Are blueberries high in antioxidants?

Yes, blueberries are one of the best sources of antioxidants among fruits and vegetables, particularly due to their high levels of anthocyanins.

Can blueberries help with weight loss?

Blueberries are low in calories and high in fiber, making them a filling snack that can help with weight management when incorporated into a balanced diet.

How should I store fresh blueberries?

Store fresh blueberries in the refrigerator in a breathable container or paper bag. Avoid washing them until you’re ready to eat them to prevent premature spoiling.

Are there different varieties of blueberries?

Yes, there are several varieties of blueberries, including highbush, lowbush, and rabbiteye blueberries, each with slightly different flavor profiles and growing requirements.

Can I eat blueberries if I have diabetes?

Yes, blueberries are relatively low on the glycemic index and can be part of a balanced diet for individuals with diabetes. However, it’s essential to monitor portion sizes and overall carbohydrate intake.

Are frozen blueberries as nutritious as fresh ones?

Yes, frozen blueberries retain most of their nutritional value, including antioxidants and vitamins, making them a convenient and budget-friendly option when fresh berries are not available.

What are some ways to incorporate blueberries into my diet?

Blueberries can be eaten fresh as a snack, added to smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt, salads, or baked goods like muffins and pancakes.

Are there any potential side effects of eating blueberries?

While blueberries are generally safe for most people, some individuals may be allergic to them. Additionally, consuming excessive amounts of blueberries may lead to digestive discomfort due to their fiber content. It’s essential to consume them in moderation as part of a balanced diet.

In conclusion, blueberries are not only delicious but also incredibly nutritious, offering a wide range of health benefits. Packed with antioxidants, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals, these tiny berries can support heart health, boost the immune system, aid in digestion, and promote overall well-being. Whether enjoyed fresh, frozen, or incorporated into various recipes, blueberries are a versatile and convenient addition to any diet. So next time you’re looking for a healthy and flavorful snack, reach for a handful of blueberries and indulge in their nutritional goodnes

[oty-garden]

Blueberry Planting and Care

There are four types of blueberries: highbush, lowbush, hybrid half-high, and rabbiteye.

The most commonly planted blueberry is the highbush. Most blueberry breeding has focused on this species, so there are many varieties that range widely in cold hardiness and fruit season, size, and flavor.

When to Plant Blueberry Bushes

Blueberries can be planted in spring or also in late fall in all but coldest regions. In Zones 5 and below, it’s best to wait until early to mid-spring to plant.

If available, 1- to 3-year-old plants are a good choice. These can be bought in containers or bare-root. In either case, be sure to buy from a reputable nursery or website.  

How to Plant Blueberry Bushes

Tip: Be careful not to plant them too deeply. The rootball should be just below the surface (one-quarter to one-half inch).

Dig holes about 20 inches deep and 18 inches wide (or about twice as wide and twice as deep as the roots of the plant).

Space bushes 4–5 feet apart in a row, with at least 8 feet between rows. Prepare a planting mixture of 2 parts loam and one part oak leaf mold, peat moss, aged sawdust, or compost, and place a layer of this mixture in the bottom of the hole.

Set the bush in the hole with the rootball just below the surface with its roots spread out. Pack the hole tightly with soil.

Apply fertilizer one month after planting, not at the time of planting. Apply ½ ounce of a 10-10-10 fertilizer in a band around the plant 6 to 12 inches from the crown.

How to Harvest Blueberries

Blueberries are typically ready for picking between June and August.

Don’t rush to pick the berries as soon as they turn blue. Wait a couple days. When they are ready, they should fall off right into your hand.

If you plant 2-year-old blueberry bushes, they should start to bear within a year or two. (Pick off any flowers that form the first year or two after planting, to allow the bush to become established.) Be aware that full production is only reached after about 6 years (depending on variety).

[25mn]

Types Of Blueberry Plants

Blueberries are for sure a delightful treat. They are extremely well known, in the culinary world as well as in natural science.

All things considered, blueberries have a high healthy benefit.

Blueberries have a place with berries in the natural sense, and other organic plants incorporate tomatoes, grapes, and cucumbers.

The class to which blueberries have a place is Vaccinium. A few different plants that have a place with the Vaccinium variety are bilberries, blackberries, cranberries, and raspberries.

I seriously love berries as a rule, yet blueberries stick out. While I was eating some natural product biscuits, I checked out at the blueberries and asked myself, "do blueberries have seeds?"

I have the response (you'll figure out how), and presently I need to impart it to you.

Continue to peruse and figure out the solution to the inquiry "do blueberries have seeds?". We will likewise give you some other data associated with blueberry plants.

Do Blueberries Have Seeds? cut blueberry with seeds

Blueberries are little, so individuals think the blueberries are seeds themselves.

They are not seeds themselves, but rather blueberries contain seeds. The seeds, as in most of berries, are inside the blueberry.

There is one motivation behind why blueberry organic product is confused with blueberry seeds. At the point when you eat a blueberry, you ingest the whole berry.

The seeds are little and, similar to blueberries themselves, are exceptionally delicate.

Since you don't rapidly see little seeds doesn't mean they aren't there.

You can see the seed once the blueberry completely matures.

The Elements Of Blueberry Plants hands picking blueberries from plant

These plants are among the best natural products that exist. Most cultivators plant blueberries because of their high dietary benefit.

It'sIt's not weird that these plants are known as a superfood. Blueberry plants contain a great deal of nutrients, particularly L-ascorbic acid. I'm certain that you've previously caught wind of their cell reinforcement highlights.

Indeed, even the seeds are plentiful in L-ascorbic acid, vitamin K, and fiber.

There are carbs in the blueberries, yet the rate is low — just 14%. The plants are 84% water, which makes the carbs insignificant.

Protein and fat rates are likewise low, which makes the plant helpful.

This kind of berry is additionally wealthy in fiber, so you can consume the plant to work on your wellbeing.

The high measure of nutrients and minerals will likewise further develop skin wellbeing and forestall blood thickening.

Sorts Of Blueberry Plants There are two Types Of Blueberry Plants: lowbush blueberries and highbush blueberries.

The blueberries you see on the racks of stores are highbush, and they are monetarily developed.

Lowbush blueberries, then again, are for the most part developed on ranches. The plants are normally filled in wild knolls — predominantly in North America.

Andean blueberries (wild berries) are accessible all over the place, particularly in Australia.

Developing blueberries in your nursery will rely upon the environment you live in.

Instructions to Develop Blueberries — The Necessities daylight on blueberries

Each plant needs great consideration, and there are a ton of necessities to meet. Light must be changed, as well as the watering plan. Picking the right sort of soil and mulch will likewise assist your plant with flourishing.

Light Prerequisites A few spots in your nursery are more presented to the sun, and as blueberries love the sun, try to place them in those spots.

Blueberries aren't overexposed to the full sun. Right at home, blueberries don't get a lot of sun. At the point when developed external our homes, they will flourish best whenever put in a bright spot.

Great lighting will assist their evergreen leaves with sticking out.

Soil Prerequisites Peat greenery based soil is ideal for planting. As peat greenery based soil holds a decent dampness level, your plant will not endure lack of hydration.

It will likewise guarantee a decent seepage level to forestall overwatering.

In the event that you choose to develop the plant in a pot first, add sphagnum peat greenery.

Numerous producers develop blueberries hydroponically.

The most effective method to Prune Blueberries Producers shouldn't manage blueberry plants during early development stages.

Prune the old stems during winter and leave youthful or moderately aged ones.

This strategy will support the creation particularly on the off chance that the blueberries are developed as natural product plants.

Focus on the mulch when you plant interestingly assuming that it needs recharging.

Leaf drop is a sign of lacking mulch. For this situation, add nitrogen utilizing soybean feasts.

[foragingincanadamb]

Bearberry

Find:is common in woodlands on sandy hills, exposed rocks, eskers and river banks.

Description: It forms large mats, with spatula-shaped,smooth-edged, evergreen leaves,pinkish-white urn-shaped flowers,and dull red edible but mealy berries.

Edible Parts and uses:tea made from the roots that can be drunk to treat a persistent cough or to slow excessive menstrual bleeding and to bring on menstruation.The leaf decoction can be drunk to treat bladder and kidney problems.

Precautions:While bearberry is highly beneficial, specifically for the urinary system, it should not be used for more than five days at a time. Hydroquinone is a powerful compound that will kill bacteria, however, overuse can cause damage to the liver.Not recommended for children, or women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. People with high blood pressure or people who suffer from Crohns disease, digestive problems, ulcers, kidney or liver disease should avoid Bearberry products.

Blueberry

Find:full sun, but will tolerate partial shade.

Description:Blueberry is a crown forming, woody, perennial shrub in the family Ericaceae grown for its fruits, or berries, of the same name. The blueberry plant possesses oval or elliptical leaves which grow alternately on the stems. The stems, or twigs, are yellow/green in color and turn reddish in winter. Flowers are bell shaped and can be either white or pink, occurring in clusters of 8 to 10 flowers. Berries are blue to black in color and 0.6–1.3 cm (0.25–0.5 in) in size.

Edible parts and uses:Blueberries can be eaten fresh or can be dried or baked for further processing. Frozen or pureed berries are commonly used to make jams and preserves and baked goods. Lowbush blueberry is commonly used to make wine.leaves,the best time of year to harvest them is in the fall when their colour changes.

Precautions:Drinks made with freeze-dried blueberries might cause constipation, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting in some people.

Bunchberry

Find:prefers shade, it will tolerate some light.

Description:ground cover is a petite ground-hugging perennial plant that reaches only 8 inches (20 cm.) at maturity and spreads by underground rhizomes. It has a woody stem and four to seven leaves that are set up in a whorled pattern at the tip of the stem.

Edible parts and uses:The fruits can be consumed raw or cooked.Harvest late summer to early fall.Use them in puddings and sauces or dried them for winter use. The fruit is said to be rich in pectin.

Precautions: Don't eat the leafs.

Canada Buffaloberry

Find:sun-loving.

Description:shrub with long thorns and beautiful silvery leaves.Deciduous shrub with opposite branches and opposite leaves; Underside of leaves covered in silver hairs and rust-colored dots.

Berry Edible and leaves can also be harvested for tea.Fruit ripens in late summer and should be picked slightly under ripe when making jellies because of the higher pectin levels.Dried added to stews and puddings. Fresh berries are cooked to make syrup, sauce, or jelly.

Precautions:For humans, these berries have a very strong, bitter and are an acquired taste. Often a first reaction is to spit them out.

Choke Cherry Black-Fruited/Red-Fruited

Find:near water sources and on older homesteads.

Description:Chokecherry trees bear 3- to 6-inch (7.5-15 cm.) long creamy white blooms, which become dark red fleshy fruit, maturing into a mature purple black with a pit in the center.Harvest chokecherry fruit in the fall.

Edible parts and uses:This fruit is used to make jams, jellies,syrups and wines.

Precautions:The leaves, stems and seeds contain a toxin, called hydrocyanic acid, which may rarely cause poisoning in domestic animals.Poisoning signs are distress, bluish tinge to the mouth, rapid breathing, salivation, muscle spasm, and finally coma and death.

Cloudberry

Find:plant grows in peat bogs and peaty forests.

Description:unripe berries are hard and reddish.ripe berries are salmon-colored.stems are unbranched, slender and wiry.leaves are broader than long, and have five lobes.The cloudberry plant is a small herb growing up to a height of just anything between 10 cm and 25 cm (4 inches and 10 inches). This plant produces alternate leaves that have 5 to seven lobes similar in appearance to the human hand on erect stalks that are branchless. Each cloudberry fruit comprises about 5 to 25 drupelets. In the beginning the fruits have a pale red hue, which changes to an amber color when they ripen in early autumn.

Edible parts and uses:berry is an ingredient in many desserts, jams, confections and alcoholic beverages.The leaves of cloudberry are used to prepare an herbal tea.

Cosmetics:For dry and sensitive skin, a mask is prepared in which crushed berries are mixed .For hair,1 cup cloudberry infusion+1 egg.The ingredients are thoroughly mixed and whipped. The mixture is rubbed into the skin of the head and applied along the length of the curls. Stand for half an hour and wash off with warm water.

Precautions:no side effects.

Cranberry Bog

Find:part shade, sun and bogs.

Description:small creeping shrub, appearing in single to densely clustered stalks as a ground cover. It has small evergreen leaves (3-10 mm) with a leathery texture and alternating growth pattern. They are deep green and shiny on the surface, grey-waxy underneath, and have rolled under edges.Harvest September to early October.

Edible parts and uses:Fruit can be eaten raw or cooked.

Precautions:no side effects.

Crowberry

Find:full sun environments.Sandy locations,inhabits bogs and openings in bog forests.

Description:Crowberry has narrow, simple leaves. Their sides are curled backwards. Leaves are light green and alternately arranged on the stem. Fruit of crowberry is black, dark purple or red berry-like drupe. Fruit ripens in the fall and remains on the shrub until the spring making it a great source of food in the winter. The berries are about the size of a pea.

Edible parts and uses:The berries are the only edible part although the twigs can be used as tea. They ripen in autumn and remain on the bush throughout the winter. Crowberries can be eaten raw but taste better after they have been exposed to a heavy frost. The taste somewhat acrid and are generally used for making pies, wine, jams, jellies, etc.

Precautions:no side effects.

Currant-Northern Black-Swamp Red-Wild Black

Find:prefers damp fertile soils.Often found around old homesteads.

Description:Stems are erect to ascending. As the shrub ages, stems become brownish to gray and lack spines or prickles.New twig growth is green, with a mix of glandular and non-glandular hairs. It becomes smooth and dark reddish with white lenticels.Ribes triste typically reaches heights up to 1 metre (3’).shrubs have leaves with three to five shallow lobes with bluntly toothed edges and palmate veins. The leaves are alternate and are usually wider than they are long. They measure on average 8cm (3”) wide and 6cm (2”) long. Leaf undersides are pubescent, without yellow resinous dots.

Edible parts and uses:Ripe fruit can be eaten raw or cooked despite having several seeds in each fruit. They have a pleasant, yet somewhat acidic flavour. Currant leaves are commonly dried and used in teas. Young leaves are used in the Finnish summer drink known as 'Louhisaari’. Currant leaves are so tasty that when steeped in a warm liquid, they release a definitive currant-like flavor. This makes them good as a flavoring agent for jellies and ice creams. Curant leaves are also used in pickles. They contain tannins, which help keep the pickles crisp. To store Currant leaves, place them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, where they will last for several days.

Precautions:no side effects.

Dewberry

Find:sandy savannas, woodland borders, meadows in wooded areas, and abandoned fields. Common Dewberry is found in both sandy and non-sandy habitats.

Description:trailing woody vine with curved prickles, rooting at the cane tips. Young stems are green; older stems are brownish and woody. Flowers are in small groups or sometimes single, on long stems, white with whitish centers, the stems often subtended by a small leaf.

Edible parts and uses:The leaves can be used to make a herbal tea, and the berries are edible and taste sweet. They can be eaten raw, or used to make cobbler, jam, or pie.

Precautions:no side effects.

[mostly-mundane-atla]

I love Irene! While adult non-elderly women in ATLA are all dead/MIA moms… She would have been PERFECT for Senna. And now, if only Senna was an actual character 😪 (my round about way of asking how'd you write Senna)

Ooh, yes! Irene Bedard would be perfect for Senna.

It's a bit understandable that she's not really in the spotlight but i'd love if she could have a bit more in the characterization department.

I bet she'd love to cook. She probably has recipes from all over the world and merchants know the best way to win her favor is gifting her a cookbook along with kitchenwares (jars for canning and pickling are a favorite) or some helpful ingrediant hard to come by in the tundra, such as sugar or vinegar or milk. She'd love combining the foreign and the traditional and experimenting with cooking methods and ingrediants that weren't around in her mother's time. Her mikigaq and plums over noodles is to die for. Her rice dumplings with dry meat and lowbush cranberries are exquisite. Korra's favorite was her "pretty akutaq" which not only had candied orange peel and cherries along with the local berries, but also sugared wild rose petals and fireweed blossoms ever so delicately folded in at the end.

I think she'd also keep ptarmagin hens for their eggs, but also treat them like treasured pets, calling them her sunshine ladies and letting them run (and fly, they didn't have that bred out of them like chickens) around inside during the winter. She takes care to gather food for them and tells them she loves them every chance she gets.

She kisses her fishhooks for luck, and it's hard to argue that it isn't lucky because she catches more fish than anyone else. Trapping, on the other hand, isn't her strong suit and she asks Tonraq to tie her snares for her since he's much better at it. He could practically tie snares in his sleep, but by the time he gets around to it it's late and he's tired. To make it up to him she rubs his legs while he does it.

[blueberrysmoothiesrecipes-blog]

How to Make Blueberry Smoothies - Details You Need to Be Aware Of

Blueberries are small round and purple-blue berries that belong to the family Ericaceae. They are further classified in two based on how they grow: Highbush blueberries grow to 10-12 feet tall while lowbush blueberries can only grow to 1-2 feet tall.

Blueberries are among those with the highest anti-oxidant value in fruits. These help remove free radicals from the body. Furthermore, the combined amounts of potent vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin E in blueberries also help limit free radical mediated injury to body. Because of this, blueberries help prevent certain cancers, aging, degenerative diseases and infections. While this is the main feature of this sweet and juicy fruit, it also contains soluble dietary fiber, minerals and vitamins that optimize a person's health and wellbeing.

Moreover, research has shown proof that the chlorogenic acid in blueberries help lower blood sugar levels and control blood glucose levels in people with type-II diabetes mellitus.

Blueberries also contain small amounts of niacin, pyridoxine, folates and pantothenic acid that help body metabolize carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Its potassium, manganese, copper, iron and zinc content also benefit the body in many different ways. Potassium helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is crucial in the manufacture of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase. Copper, meanwhile, is necessary in the production of red blood cells while iron is required for red blood cell formation.

While blueberries can be eaten on its own or as a very delicious component of a blueberry cheesecake, turning them into a blueberry smoothie is one of the best ways to drink up all its nutrients. Not only are these drinks health-giving, they are also delicious and easy-to-prepare. Blueberry smoothies are also great for snacks or as meal substitute for those who seek to lose a few extra pounds. Here's a sample blueberry smoothie that you can easily make in your own kitchen:

You only need a cup of frozen blueberries, ½ cup of yogurt, a cup of milk (soy, skimmed or regular-- the choice is yours) and 1 tablespoon of sugar (or 4 tablespoons of honey). Blend the sugar for about 5 seconds first, then add the rest of the ingredients and blend on high until your desired consistency. Serve on chilled glasses and serve immediately.

Another blueberry smoothie recipe to try is a combination of one cup of blueberries (fresh or frozen), 7 oz vanilla yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons orange juice, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/2 cup ice. Simply blend all these ingredients into your blender or smoothie maker for about 30 seconds or until it gets to your desired consistency and serve.

Mixing blueberries with other fruits also makes for a great smoothie. Try blending together 2 cups plain yogurt, 1.5 cups orange juice, 1.5 cup skim milk, 1 cup frozen blueberries, 1 cup frozen strawberries and 1 cup frozen peaches for a sweet- tangy blueberry smoothie.

Protein powders and other nutritional supplements may also be added into your blueberry smoothie to meet other nutritional needs. For example, whey protein powders may be mixed in for those who are on the road to gaining more muscle. Oats, wheatgrass and almonds may also be added to make your blueberry smoothie even healthier.

[ridingthatbike]

Maybe it just takes that long: an Allegheny Front Trail overnight

I pack my bag and unpack it and repack it. I remember that the trails flooded last year and decide to hammock camp. It’s getting cold up there, so I buy an expensive underquilt. I practice setting up my tarp. I decide it's too small since a big wet weather system is coming in. I buy a new, bigger tarp. I practice setting up my new tarp. I go on day hikes, longer and longer ones, building up my miles and toughening up my feet. I feel sad and anxious and stressed but I push ahead, and train, and plan, and practice, assuming that I will be able to leave these feelings behind and that all will be right with the world once I'm in the woods. It's happened before, hasn't it? (It hasn't.)

I set out for the forest, and for one brief moment on the three-hour drive, I feel my heart lift as I see the wind blow a sparkling shower of yellow leaves from the trees and I feel like I'm in a lovely, pleasant, sunny snow globe. It is different from the snow globe I’ve been living in for the last year, which is cloudy and makes it hard to see and understand what's going on in my head and in my heart. Grief has picked up the snow globe of my life and given it a good shake.

I take a trailhead photo, look at the weather forecast one more time, and then put my phone into airplane mode. I hike. I don't stop. I can't stop. I am a hiking robot. I hike ten miles without stopping, and I don't enjoy any of it, and I don't know why, and I don't know why I rushed. I set up my hammock and underquilt and tarp. I filter some water. I burn my finger and misplace my backup lighter and slightly melt the handle of my kettle. I feel terrible, and guilty for feeling terrible, because it's stunningly beautiful out here and I have only my brain to blame for being so unhappy. 

I look at the hunting cabin across the creek and script the conversations I might have with the hunter, should they arrive in a pickup truck that night. I feel exposed and vulnerable, and try to distract myself with a book, only to realize that I've managed to bring a book I've already read.

I think about my friend Danny who died this spring, how I only got to know him for a very short span of time but felt sure we'd see each other again, because adventure people cross paths, you know? I think about my aunt Meg and how I’ll never hear her tell me that just looking at my adventure photos makes her tired. I think about my aunt Su and I think about my friend Carol and I think about my friend Jesse and I think about how none of them are here anymore and how impossible it is that ALL of them are gone. That's so many people. How can they all be gone? I don't think I've ever felt so lonesome in my entire life. The wind is blowing right through my soul. It gets down to about freezing that night, and I am cozy in my nest. I manage to sleep a few hours and I feel pleased with myself. I get out of the hammock to look at the stars. They are glorious and I remember to be glad to be alive.

I scrap my planned four-day loop, and hike back out. I try hard to slow down and it requires so much effort. The hiking robot is in control. I do manage to notice how the frost on the rhododendron leaves looks like scale, but the frost on the lowbush blueberries looks like fuzz. I do manage to notice the fruiting partridge berries. I remember that I've saved a podcast -- an interview with one of my very best friends in the whole world and I am so happy that I get to hear her voice right now. I mentally thank my past self for not listening to it right away.

When I pop back out by the trailhead sign, I am startled by the existence of another human, who is equally startled by me. We put our hands on our hearts and wait for our heartbeats to slow down a little bit before we introduce ourselves and get to talking.

His name is Bob. He is 72. He's dressed head-to-toe in camo. "It's hunting season, you know," he says kindly and without a hint of patronizing. I'm not as scared of bow hunting season as I am of rifle season, though maybe I should be. "Did you get anything?" I ask. "Nah, I like shooting but I don't care if I get anything. It's for my mind, you know, like how golf is. It's about the time you spend outside. My son is down hunting on the other side of the forest. He tells me that you gotta get out there while it's still dark and wait for the sun to come up. I'm not going out there with a headlamp on! I'll go out just as the sun's coming up. If I fall and break my leg, it's gonna be a long time before somebody finds me." He tells me that his wife Rita died 12 years ago, at the same time his son was getting deployed to Iraq. "I didn't know if I was ever going to see him again, you know? I was a mess." I tell him that I have experienced a lot of loss recently and that it feels like a wonderful serendipity for our paths to have crossed just now. He tells me that he used to spend a lot of time outdoors with his wife, that they used to ride mountain bikes and road bikes. I can feel his love for Central Pennsylvania, and I tell him about some of my adventures here. He tells me that he stopped riding bikes after she died, because it was a thing they had done together, and it just felt weird to do it alone. He described how his community of friends rose up and held him and cared for him, and made sure he still had a way to be outdoors and engaged, and now he rides ATVs with them. He pauses and looks at me. "Two years ago, I wouldn't have told you any of this." I ask him what's changed. "I don't know," he says, "maybe it just takes this long." We are quiet while we sniffle and blow our noses and wipe our eyes. I laugh, a little self conscious about getting teary-eyed with a stranger. He shrugs and says, "you got to let it out, you know," and we part ways. 

[rkilleninsolvencytrustee]

We’re now just getting into the start of summer and hot, humid summer days are coming. With the rising temperatures comes an increase in water use for most Canadian households, which in turn means a spike in your monthly water bill. So we thought we’d take this time to share some ways to save water at home this summer so you don’t get punched in the wallet with a huge water bill.

Many households experience a dramatic increase in water usage during the summer. Maybe it’s because we take more showers to avoid getting sweaty and smelly. And yes, also the lawn sprinkling, garden watering, car washing, and other yard and garden activities where we use a lot of water.  Of course, when we use more water we can expect to see our water bill go up. Now, for a homeowner with lots of debt to pay off and a very tight household budget to manage, a huge spike in your water bill is the last thing you want to see. You have to save money in the budget wherever you can, and reducing water usage, especially during the summer months when you use up more than usual can go a long way in helping to save money on bills.

These tips will greatly help save water usage at home this summer.

Let’s start  indoors.

Repair water leaks

The City of Toronto has confirmed to residents that leaky faucets or toilets attribute to higher bills. It is best, therefore, to regularly check if you have any water leak issues in your house that you need to attend to and fast so you don’t waste thousands of litres of water and end up with a massive water bill.

You can do DIY repair on many water leak issues in the home. If you have faucets that are leaking, all you have to do is replace worn-out washers. To check if you have leaky toilets, just do the toilet test.  Put a few drops of food coloring in your toilet tank or drop a dye tablet into the toilet tank and lightly stir it. After a few minutes, if the water in your bowl turns color, then your toilet is leaking. You can fix this yourself by replacing with an inexpensive rubber flapper. However, if the toilet is leaking around the base, you will need some professional help to fix this.

Adjust the flow

An easy fix that will save you money and reduce your water use is to regulate the amount of water flowing out of the tap. One effective way is to install low-flow faucet aerators in your kitchen or bathroom sinks.  Aerators are inexpensive devices and they can reduce water flow by 25 to 50 per cent. Another way that can save you much in water costs is to use low-flow showerheads, which can reduce water use by about half the amount of water as with a standard flow rate shower head.

Retrofit your toilet

About 30% of water use in the home is caused by toilet flushing. Now, if you really think about it, you don’t need that much to cleanly flush your toilet. A full-flush toilet uses about 18 litres of water per flush, but if you use a low-flow toilet, you can lower water use to just six litres per flush.

Before buying a new toilet, check first if you already have a low flow toilet. Look between the seat and tank for a flush volume stamp. You might find this on the walls of the tank or on the lid itself. There might also be a date stamp inside the tank. If you see a “1.6 gpf or 1.28 gpf,” your toilet is already a low-flow model. If you can’t afford to buy a new toilet just yet, you can simply buy a $10 water retention, displacement or alternative flushing device which you can find at  most hardware stores to reduce the water flow of your current toilet.

Now, let’s go outside your home.

Outdoor water use during the summer months can spike consumption by as much as 50%. So, here’s what you can do to save water at home this summer when you are out on your garden or yard.

Garden smarter

One easy tip to follow is to water your lawn at night or early in the morning, ideally before 9:00 am. This way you avoid the heat of the day and reduce evaporation, allowing water to properly sink into the ground. Also, avoid overwatering. Generally, lawns need only about 2.5 cm of water every week. If you have a sprinkler system, you can plan a watering schedule by setting up the timer and making sure that the water comes on at the exact time you’ve scheduled it, and that it does turn off accordingly so that you avoid wasting water on your yard.

Deep watering

Another simple way to help reduce evaporation and thus use less water is to set your lawnmower to maximum height. This way when you cut the grass you leave it just a little taller so that it shades the soil and prevents water to evaporate giving time for the water to soak below the soil surface. The deep watering method lets you use less water because you only need to deep water once a week while at the same time you ensure that water gets to the roots of plants and trees.

Landscape using native and drought-resistant plants

Another advise that the City of Toronto would like residents to follow is to plant native plants and trees in your garden or yard. Common plants and trees like Sugar maple, Red maple, Canada anemone, Cinnamon fern, Lowbush blueberry, Balsam firs, Manzanitas, Black-eyed susan, Red osier dogwood are low maintenance and naturally drought-tolerant which means they will need less water to thrive in the local environment. Not only that, they’ll also help give shade, privacy, color to your property and will help keep your home and yard cooler in the summer – which will help lower your air conditioning costs, too!

It’s really worth it to make the effort to save water at home especially during the summertime because it’s one of the best ways you can save money on your utility bills. It may not seem like a lot of money to save each month, but if you can maintain regular savings in this way every month it can add up significantly over the course of a year.

[daylilies123]

Reversing Aging With Blueberries

Blueberries have the most elevated amount of cancer prevention agents of any organic product developed in America. They have 12 fold the number of cancer prevention agents as apples, pears, or bananas. This may clarify why some case that eating them every day inverts both cerebrum and body maturing. Solidified blueberries bundled at their pinnacle of readiness contain as much enemy of maturing power as new ones.

Cell reinforcements keep killing the free radicals that are framed in your body keep them from antagonistically influencing your wellbeing. Free radicals split up particles and can improve the probability of certain malignancies. Along these lines, an eating regimen stacked with cell reinforcements, for example, blueberries can have awesome medical advantages.

Develop your very own organic blueberries

Your best choice is to become your very own so you can pick them at the pick of readiness for crisp eating or for solidifying. Becoming your very own gives you the chance to pick blueberry plants with the most astounding cancer prevention agent levels. Buy you pesticide-free plants from a respectable nursery and develop your own organic Blueberry Sundae.

Choosing an assortment

Research shows that wild (lowbush) blueberries have higher cancer prevention agent level than developed (highbush) assortments.

There is a solid relationship between blueberry size and its cell reinforcement level. This connection between's Lowbush blueberries that will, in general, be little in size and have higher cancer prevention agent levels than larger measured highbush blueberries.

Pick wild blueberries and blueberries that are little in size to get the most extreme cancer prevention agent levels.

[mmwm]

Continuing my highly personal notes on Peter Bane’s The Permaculture Handbook (2012), here’s Chapter Sixteen: Trees and Shrubs, Orchards, Woodlands and Forest Gardens. Any misrepresentations of Bane’s words or work are mine alone and completely unintentional. Notes on each chapter linked here.

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“Some of the most cold-hardy wild fruits will not grow in regions much warmer than zone 4, but others stretch all the way to zone 9. I will not remark on those that should be removed from the list as we proceed southward, except to say that when you can grow figs, you become much less interested in cranberries, even if they tolerate your climate. Judge accordingly.” — Peter Bane

What? Figs? But cranberries are beautiful and delicious! Even these Viburnum trilobum highbush cranberries, which are different from Thanksgiving cranberries, which are vacciniums.

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Trees provide us food, fiber, and energy.

“… when vandals strike (and they have been striking for as long as there have been grain-based surpluses), it is possible to grab your seed corn and flee over the horizon to live and perhaps to plant another day. Tree cultivators live by the virtues of their ancestors and work for the benefit of their descendants. Fire and the sword can undo in one season many generations of care, and recovery is slow. To embrace permanent agriculture based on woody perennials, we must enter into uncharted territory. Tree cropping is not wholly unknown: humans have been cultivating tree fruits for nearly 7,000 years[; the] past century, however, has seen an enormous explosion of scientific and agronomic research into the intensive cropping of grains, legumes and oil seeds, and secondarily into the mass production of a small number of livestock species. These crops have become the basis of industrial food. Adopting tree crops is part of a broadbased citizen initiative to correct the imbalance of research effort in our food system.”

Coppice: A way to “Cut and come again.” Using hand tools, can cut [non-conifer] trees to the stump and allow them to regrow. Trees don’t have to grow tall before their wood is harvested:

“Instead of allowing trees to grow to a mature height and girth, under coppice systems they are grown only to the dimension that meets the need of the products for which they are cultivated. If you need stove wood of three-inch diameter, it makes no sense to fell and split a two-foot-diameter tree. Better to cut the stems when they are the right dimension for the job.”

coppicing example from Bane’s book

Coppicing frees trees to cover their trunks, limbs, and branches with new cambium cells, so energy in the roots can create new growth; it resets the tree’s life clock.

Tree roots: Most of soil life and nutrients is in the top 12 inches of ground, and that’s where tree’s roots predominantly are, except in arid lands. Tree roots can spread 3x the diameter of the crown. For many trees, the branches on one side of the tree are fed from roots on the opposite side. Trees have structural roots, which anchor them, and feeder roots, which bring them food, and these latter roots are often sloughed off.

Ramial wood: Ramial wood is the young growth of woody plants. [I think we read elsewhere that the wood diameter should be no more than 3″.] It can be cut (it often is cut anyway, for pruning and such) and applied as mulch, breaking down into humus quickly, usually in less than a year. Woody plants are a prime source of fertilizer and mulch to maintain fertility in gardens and farm fields, especially those species that fix nitrogen and those with lots of leaves attached.

my ramial wood pile, April 2015

Some shrubs and trees to consider for coppicing and ramial mulch: “Willows are prolific wherever water is available. Poplar and aspen are fast-growing and respond to coppice. Elaeagnus species, especially the widespread autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) and Russian olive (E. angustifolia), are often seen as dispersive problem plants: make them work for you rather than spend energy trying to exterminate them. We had two autumn olives show up unbidden in a neglected section of our garden. We cut them back every year for mulch and nitrogen, and they have become fertility anchors for the crop species around them. They will eventually provide edible berries.”

swallowtail butterfly on an autumn olive, nearby rail trail in NH, June 2014

Consider planting the legume shrub caragana (Siberian peashrub) in cold climates (zone 2-10, can get 20′ tall, yellow flowers in May).

taller shrub shown here is Siberian peashrub, at Paradise Lot in Holyoke, MA, June 2016

Take no more than 1/3 of a shrub at a time unless you’re cutting it to the ground to grow more stems.

We need trees and shrubs architecturally in the garden, as windbreaks, as visual screens, as part of integrated pest management to confuse pests, to anchor plant guilds, to attract birds.

Woody nitrogen-fixers are listed in Appendix 3.

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Trees for Food: Nuts: hazelnut (corylus), pine, walnut (juglans), hickory (carya; Carya ovata, shagbark hickory, is among the best-flavored), gingko, chestnut (castanea), and in southern climates, pecan, pistachio, almond. Most reach 40-140 feet tall and take 10-20 years to bear, but most hazels are shrubs and bear quickly.

[My hazelnut shrubs are about 4′ tall now and bore a few nuts, which wildlife nabbed, last year, their 3rd year.]

one of 2 or 3 hazel nuts, mid-July 2017

Difference in size in one hazelnut shrub from May 2016 to June 2017:

same hazelnut shrub, May 2016

one hazelnut shrub, June 2017

Hazelnuts: “American and California hazels (Corylus americana and C. cornuta), European species (C. avellana) and the many crosses between them (hazelberts, filhazels) show a compact, shrubby form and can be coppiced. Hazels will begin bearing after about four years and may live for half a century. They may reach 20 feet at maturity but can readily be maintained at 8–10 feet for cropping purposes.” Hazelnuts can make a dense screen and can be interplanted with tree or cane fruits. They fruit on one-year-old wood. ___________________________________

More on nut trees: I did my own research on some of these, looking for the best for my zone 4 climate and smallish yard — hazelnuts were the winners:

Chestnuts: Take 8 years or more to bear nuts. Need two varieties for cross-pollination. Chinese, 40′ tall, zone 4, blight-resistant. Dunstan, 50′ tall, zone 4. Colossal, zone 5.

Hazelnuts: American hazel, 6-12′ tall, zone 3. European, 12-25′ tall, zone 4. Beaked (the kind that’s wild here), 6-12′ tall, zone 3. California, 25′ tall, zone 4. Hybrid Filazel/Hazelbert, 12-15′ tall, zone 3, takes 3-4 year to bear.

Walnuts: Walnuts are allelopathic (lots of plants can’t grow near or under them). Butternut, 40-90′ tall, very cold hardy zone 3, can take 20 years for nuts, gets a fungus. Heartnut, 50-90′ tall, zones 4-6. Buartnut, a fast-growing hybrid of butternut and heartnut walnut with nuts in 3-6 years, 50-60′ tall, zones 4-7. Black, 50-70′ tall, zones 4-9, takes 12-15 years for nuts.

Shagbark Hickory (common in New England in the wild): 70-85′ tall, can tolerate some shade, zones 4-7.

Gingko: 75′ tall but can be kept short with pruning, zones 3-8, should use only male plants (females stink).

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A few of these trees found in the wild or planted other places:

gingko, Longwood Gardens (eastern PA), June 2013

shagbark hickory tree, Middlebury, VT, Nov. 2016

shagbark hickory tree nut, Odiorne State Park, Rye, NH, Aug. 2017

beaked hazelnuts, Butterfield Pond trail, Wilmot, NH, Sept. 2016

‘Fort McNair Red Horse Chestnut’ blooming at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay, ME, June 2017

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Fruiting Shrubs and Vines: Grapes need 90% new growth removed (when dormant) each year, and they need full sun to fruit well. [We have some growing wild and fruiting in the yard with no care:]

“If you didn’t plant your fruit trees ten years ago, the next best time to do so is today, provided it is late winter, spring or a moist autumn.”

Tree fruits: Pomes: apple, medlar, pear, quince, hawthorn. Pears: Plant three or more varieties together. Bees are not very interested in pears. Stone (self-fertile; 2/3 of the time, a seed will grow to resemble its parent): plum, apricot, cherry, peach, almond, and crosses of nectarine and pluot

Bane has several pages on grafting methods that I didn’t really read.

Selecting trees for your climate: Fruit tree species listed by USDA zones. I noted only those to zone 5 (my best, warmest microclimate) and only those I was interested in: Zone 0 (near tundra): Saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia); wild pin cherry (Prunus pensylvanica), chokecherry (P. virginiana), northern mountain ash (Sorbus decora), highbush cranberry (Viburnum trilobum). Zone 1: mountain ash (Sorbus americana), northern mountain cranberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), some crab apples, a couple small apple varieties. Zone 2: more cultivated apples and crab apples, apricots (Prunus mandshurica), Canada plum (P. nigra), currants, gooseberries, lowbush blueberries, cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon), elderberries (Sambucus nigra), hawthorns, some sand cherries (Prunus pumila), nannyberry (Viburnum lentago).

elderberry shrubs, Aug 2017

Zone 3 (includes some parts of the Adirondacks and Maine, northern Minnesota and upper Michigan, high elevations in the mountain West, plus lots of Canada): tart cherry, American plums, some Japanese plums, some bush cherry, some roses (including R. rugosa), European mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia var. edulis), American hazel (Corylus americana), blackhaw (Viburnum prunifolium), more apples and crab apples, a few pear cultivars. Zone 4: most apples, most pears, butternut and black walnut, many grapes, hardy kiwis (Actinidia arguta, A. kolomikta), more apricots, some European plums, white mulberry (Morus alba). Zone 5: hardy varieties of peach, some northern pecans, buartnut, gingko, highbush blueberries [there are actually some cultivars that do well in zones below 5], sweet cherry, Damson and prune plums, red mulberries, American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), Cornus kousa, and pawpaw (Asimina triloba).

“Order only as many plants as you can plant within a week, and begin preparing your planting holes in advance.”

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How to Plant a Tree: I’ve planted a lot of trees and shrubs but still found useful tips, e.g., to turn the prominent side branch, if there is one, to the prevailing wind (here, it’s NW) to give it extra protection; to stab the sides of the hole so roots can head off horizontally; and to tamp the roots and soil as you go, so as not to leave large air pockets.

Here are the full instructions:

Pruning: “A young apple, pear or peach needs about three dozen leaves per fruit, or six to eight inches of stem per fruit. A 3- to 4-year-old tree may do well with about 50 fruits, a number that will increase from year to year. About four to six weeks after flowering, you can see which blossoms have been pollinated, as these will be showing small fruits.  Remove all but one or two in each flower cluster, favoring those that are largest and have no blemishes or insect damage. If you cannot tell which are going to fill out, wait another week or two to allow them to swell. With young cherries, plums and apricots, there is less concern about thinning the crop.”  [I’ve also read to thin peaches out to about one peach fruitling every 4-6″ on a stem, and do it early and perhaps twice.]

“Pay particular attention to the time of blooming and record this each year for each tree or major block of trees. Notice also what wild plants are then blooming, what birds are migrating through, what frogs are mating at the same time and other climate-sensitive phenomena.”

(Quechee Gorge, VT, May 2011)

Benefits of trees in the garden/farm: Shade, protection, windbreak, cooling, lowering a high water table, soil building, visual screening, fencing, mulch as leaves and twigs drop, fuel, fruits/nuts, nitrogen-fixers, fertilizer, forage for bees and wildlife, habitat. Never plant a tree that can’t serve at least three functions.

arborvitae ‘Emerald Green’ windbreak/hedge, Bedrock Gardens, Lee, NH, Sept. 2016

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Forest Gardens: Polyculture – mix of species. Structure of a temperate forest garden is based on canopy elements, i.e., trees like apples, pears, cherries, walnuts or chestnuts. Other tall elements could include nitrogen-fixing trees for fertility (e.g., black locust, alders, mimosa). The middle layer could include shrubs like serviceberries, elderberries, hazels, Siberian pea shrub, autumn olive. Ground cover layer could include mints, alliums, nasturtiums, comfrey, burdock, sedums, horseradish, lovage, yarrow, fennel, annuals, clovers, lamiums. He talks specifically about fruit tree guilds on p. 331.

[Below, just a few of the ground covers and middle layer plants in my fruit guild: ]

Using weeds: “An important shortcut to successful forest gardening is to learn about and use a good range of friendly weeds. These are expansive or dispersive plants that are easy to use or to live with. They don’t have thorns. If they show up where you don’t want them, they’re easy to move or to get rid of. They’re pretty or edible or make good compost or medicine, so that you don’t mind having lots of them. Lettuce is a friendly weed in our garden. … Chickweed, mache and lambsquarters are friendly weeds. Dandelions are a bit stubborn but basically OK.” But you may also have to suppress weeds you don’t want — for instance, creeping euonymous, poison ivy, Japanese honeysuckle, multiflora rose, maple seedlings, hackberry, black cherry, ashes, some grasses, or whatever is vexacious in your region.

[Below, a few of the weeds that have emerged in my garden and have been left to beautify and nourish it: ]

“Forest gardening is part of a larger strategy to create productive woodland mosaics in our inhabited landscapes.”

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Featured image (top image) is some sort of mountain ash (Sorbus sp.), Sunset Hill Trail, Newbury, NH, Aug. 2014

Book Notes: The Permaculture Handbook :: Chapter Sixteen Continuing my highly personal notes on Peter Bane’s The Permaculture Handbook (2012), here's Chapter Sixteen: Trees and Shrubs, Orchards, Woodlands and Forest Gardens. 

[worldremark4]

Top 3 World Healthy Foods in 2017

Top 3 World Healthy Foods in 2017.Hello guys welcome back to worldremark with antioxidants making it one of the best things you can eat to maintain health and possibly prevent certain types of cancer the key to healthy broccoli is preparation overcooking not only makes the veg soggy and well gross it also destroys all nutrient value lightly steaming it will maintain its texture flavor and it's incredibly powerful health benefits you'll just have to deal with the taste do you agree with our list what vital veggie phenomenal fruit or simple tasty super snack do you think deserves our attention for more delicious top 3 published every day be sure to follow to worldremark.com a healthy lifestyle begins with a healthy diet. Welcome to worldremark.com and today we're counting down our picks for the top ten healthiest foods for this list we picked the Top 3 World Healthy Foods in 2017 that have shown to significantly improve people's health and well-being while there are many things that can be incorporated into a healthy diet this list focuses on things that can be eaten and are readily accessible to most people the focus is also squarely on solid foods so we aren't mentioning things like red wine.

 Top 3 World Healthy Foods in 2017.

    3. Almonds

Number three almonds our nerves are rich source of vitamins and minerals and packed with numerous health promoting phytochemicals they contain many beneficial plant compounds including powerful antioxidants like resveratrol caching cancel and creating the nurses are also an excellent source of vitamin E which is a powerful liquid soluble antioxidant these nuts are also packed with many important be complex groups of vitamins such as riboflavin uniting time in pantothenic acid vitamin b6 and holidays many of the antioxidants and almonds are concentrated in the skin therefore you should eat the whole lunch to maximize the health benefits number.  

Health Benefits of Almonds

Helps prevent heart disease and heart attack

It works to keep the brain healthy.

Almonds maintain skin health.

Use of hair helps in controlling blood sugar levels and preventing diabetes.  

Help with weight loss and preventing excessive eating.

Almond lowers "bad" cholesterol

He protects artery walls from damage.   

Almonds help to strengthen bones and teeth.

Almonds provide healthy fats and aid in weight loss  

  2.Broccoli

Number two broccoli is high in many nutrients including fiber vitamin C vitamin ki iron and potassium it is also a decent source of fiber and higher in protein than most other vegetables broccoli also contains Luo Tian Jiaxanthine and beta carotene which may all contribute to better eye health.

Broccoli Cabbage is an edible green plant, whose head of the big flower is eaten as a vegetable

Health Benefits of Broccoli

Broccoli maintains skin health.

It is useful in regenerating the skin.

Broccoli protects the skin from cancer.  

Improves man's skin immune system.

Broccoli is very useful for hair growth.

 It is Highly Nutritious Food.

Use to Skin Re-generator.

Broccoli Use For a Healthy Heart.

It regulates blood pressure.   

It Prevents Anaemia.  

1. Blueberries

Number one blueberries had the highest antioxidant capacity of all commonly consumed fruits and vegetables fresh berries carry a small amount of vitamin C vitamin E and vitamin E all together these vitamins work as potent antioxidants which help limit free radical mediated injury to the body the berries also carry a small amount of the complex groups of vitamins such as nursing production polish and pantothenic acid these vitamins are acting as cofactors that helping the metabolism of carbohydrates protein and fat.

Highbush varieties blueberries are commonly grown in the U.S. Lowbush blueberries are sometimes called "wild" blueberries. And it is small and rich in antioxidants. Blueberry is also called the King of Antioxidant Foods.

Health Benefits of Blueberries

Blueberries is useful for getting vitamin C.

Blueberries are low in calories, but nutritional excellence is good.  

Blueberries are very beneficial, like they reduce DNA damage, and also protect against aggravating and cancer.

Blueberry also provides cholesterol protection to avoid damage to the blood.

Blueberries eat blood pressure, so it is also good to eat.

Blueberry can also be used to prevent heart disease.  

If any Queries or Questions is persist then please feel free to comment your view points.

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