These are the first blueberries of the year from our own bushes. By all accounts they cost me $25 each so far but that price will drop drastically as more fruits mature.  There are hundreds and hundreds of little green berries ready to turn into big purple fruits.  As only the second perennial project on our property since we started improvements, I am pleased they are proving to be productive and low maintenance. So far they have only requiring water, soil acidifier, and some netting to keep away the birds.

For anyone who has never had a fresh blueberry, straight from the bush, still warm from the summer sun, no commercially bought blueberries, however grown, harvested, or selected, can compare to it.  Sweet flesh followed by a slight sour pucker from the skin, this is what nature intended for us to enjoy.

If you are looking for an easy to grow perennial give blueberries a try.  The effort has been worthwhile in my garden.  So long as the netting stays in place and the birds are kept away, I am expecting to harvest several quarts this year.  With even more in the future as then go from their current 2′ tall to upwards of 6′ or more.  I do recommend spending a little more money on more mature plants so you can enjoy a harvest your first year and not have to fret over whether or not they will survive.  Our 4 plants ranged from $20-25 a piece but they are 3 years old and come with a 1 year guarantee from a local nursery.

This is a question that has as many answers as there are people asking the question.  I am no expert, so leave you with this answer from someone who is:

From Gluten-Free Diet , 2006 ed, by Shelley Case, BSc, RD:

Although gluten-containing ingredients (barley malt syrup and starch hyrdosylates) can be used in the production of caramel color, North American companies use corn syrup as it has a longer shelf life and makes a superior product. European companies use glucose syrup derived from wheat starch, however caramel color is highly processed and contains no gluten.

Be safe, eat well, and enjoy those caramel colored foods.

I hope you and your loved ones are enjoying one another today.  Prepare a nice meal together and share in the pleasure of food.  We will be doing the same today.

Be safe and eat well.

As you have probably heard, it has been snowing along large swaths of the East Coast, dumping record and near record snows on many regions.  So far we have received a combined total of some 24 inches, substantially less than other regions.  Friends in Shippensburg, PA, dug out from that much inches during the last storm and have another 8-10 inches right now.  My father, in Hagerstown, MD, told me that he has over 30″ in his yard right now with more still falling.

With all of the snow and blowing winds there are few reports of power outages, but it is taking a toll on commerce and traffic.  Interstate 81 is closed from the Maryland Line to I-80 due to blizzard conditions.  I-76, 78, 83, 176, 476, 676, and PA 581 are also closed.

I’m thankful for the snow as a reason to spend time with my family in the warmth and comfort of our home.  It also is a great insulator for the strawberry beds.

Here are some pictures of our backyard.

This is the table I’ve been using to monitor the total accumulation.  It isn’t completely accurate as I lost a few inches to compression and melting since the last storm but gives you an idea of what it’s like.  A friend of mine in Canada, who does snow removal for a living, is laughing his head off at this “light dusting of snow”.

If you have been following the news lately you have heard about the snow storm that was being dubbed “Snowpocalypse” or “Snowgeddon” in the Washington, D.C. area.  Unfortunately we were in the path of the storm and it dropped 14 inches on us Friday night into Saturday.  It took 5 hours and multiple shifts between me and the rest of the family to dig out.  Combine that with the roads not being plowed until 9am and there was no way to make it to State College.  I’ll have to wait until next year to let you know how it is.

For anyone else caught by the storm, the best to you and your families as we get out from under it.