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O Year of Little Plenty
15 Jul 2011 10:40 pm Last year spoiled me; I realize that now, coming home with my sack almost empty after a wildcrafting expedition. Last year, I made jar after jar of preserves, both of sour cherries and plums. The cherries this year came and went so quickly, and I foolishly thought they would linger like last year, the year of plenty. The plums are almost all wormy, the yield lamentable.
And the milkweed. Last year, the patch was chockfull of pods looking like horned and warty demon claws, and this summer, I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into them. I noticed a few teardrop sized pods a little over a week ago, so I went out to harvest tonight. I came home with seven, yes seven, little pods. The patch is stricken, suffering from too much heat, followed by rain, followed by a freaky chill and then heat again; the flowers are shriveled without forming pods, the leaves already curled and yellowed. There are still some pods that are too immature to gather, but a bumper crop it will not be.
That's a pity because the pods: Delicious!
The only thing that seemed to have thrived this year is the wild asparagus. With the unseasonable chill, we got a late crop of shoots, but not knowing to expect it, I missed almost all of them. I did find one to add to my stew tonight, and that was a tasty treat.
I don't know how to feel about moving away on such a note. I would have liked for the land to give me a grand send-off, but at the same time, it makes it a little easier to leave my haunts, knowing that not every year is a bountiful one.
And the milkweed. Last year, the patch was chockfull of pods looking like horned and warty demon claws, and this summer, I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into them. I noticed a few teardrop sized pods a little over a week ago, so I went out to harvest tonight. I came home with seven, yes seven, little pods. The patch is stricken, suffering from too much heat, followed by rain, followed by a freaky chill and then heat again; the flowers are shriveled without forming pods, the leaves already curled and yellowed. There are still some pods that are too immature to gather, but a bumper crop it will not be.
That's a pity because the pods: Delicious!
The only thing that seemed to have thrived this year is the wild asparagus. With the unseasonable chill, we got a late crop of shoots, but not knowing to expect it, I missed almost all of them. I did find one to add to my stew tonight, and that was a tasty treat.
I don't know how to feel about moving away on such a note. I would have liked for the land to give me a grand send-off, but at the same time, it makes it a little easier to leave my haunts, knowing that not every year is a bountiful one.