We Learned Something!

Today some of us got to attend the "Canning, Freezing and Preserving Food" seminar from the Kenton County UK Extension Program. Such nice people. We learned some very important tips and learned how to enter an item in a fair. I've been to one fair in my life, so it was amusing. Did you know first place gets $6 and a blue ribbon? Jeanne made great orange pecan shortbread cookies! Kathy accuses us of being more of a cooking club than an herb club. This post makes me think she may be on to something!

Black Raspberries

I just came home from picking black raspberries at Stoke's Berry Farm in Wilmington Ohio. I couldn't ask for more pleasant berry picking weather. The wind blew my hair and I looked a little wild as I emerged from the berry patch. It felt as right as rain!
I used the Ball book for jam , but this time I used my new 8 quart pressure cooker to can, instead of a water bath method. WOW! I may never use the water bath method again!I loved it.

Berry Picking

It's Berry Picking Time!

I grew up in this area, and have always berry picked. I thought I'd include some places to pick. Right now strawberries are ready, and after 6/20 Black raspberries will be ripe. Here are some Local U-Pick places:
My Favorite: Dale Stokes Berry Farm, 2822 Center Road, Wilmington. 937-382-4004. 8 a.m.-dark daily. Late May to July: strawberries. Late-June to early July: black red, purple and yellow, August and September: red, purple and yellow raspberries. Containers provided. I-71 to Ohio 73; drive east to Williams Road; turn left, then right on Center Road to farm. Visit stokes berryfarm.com. I think they'll have blackberries,too but will ask when we go up Sunday!

Iron's Fruit Farm is the closest. They also have a fun corn maze in the fall!Irons Fruit Farm, 1640 Stubbs Mill Road, Lebanon. 513-932-2853. Call for picking times and availability. Mid-June: blueberries. Mid-July: Green beans, tomatoes. Mid-August: red raspberries. Mid-September: apples. Late September and October: pumpkins and gourds. Containers provided. I-71 to Ohio 123; go north toward Lebanon; turn left on Stubbs Mill Road and watch for signs about 2 miles on the left. Visit www.ironsfruit farm.com.

A&M Farm Orchard, 22141 Ohio 251, Midland, 513-875-2500. 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 1-8 p.m. Sunday. Call for fall hours. Early June: strawberries. September to October: apples and grapes. Containers provided. I-275 to Ohio 28; through Blanchester to Midland in southeast Clinton County; south on U.S. 68 to Ohio 251. Farm is 1 mile east.
Barn 'n' Bunk Farm Market, Ohio 73 and Wayne Madison Road, Trenton. 513-988-9211. Call for hours and availability. Late May: snow peas. Late June to August: half runner beans, stringless beans, greasy beans and Roma beans. I-75 to Ohio 63; go west on Ohio 63 to Ohio 4; north on Ohio 4 to Ohio 73; west on Ohio 73. Farm is near Ohio 73 and Wayne-Madison Road.

Barrett's Strawberry Farm, 11434 Fairfield Road, Leesburg, 937-780-4961. 8 a.m.-dark daily. Early June: strawberries. Containers provided. I-275 to Ohio 28; go east to Leesburg in north Highland County; turn right on Ohio 771; continue 1 mile; turn right on Fairfield Road. Follow signs to farm.

Bergefurd's Farm Market & Greenhouse, 234 Ohio 350 West. Corner of U.S. 68 South and Ohio 350 in Clinton County. 937-383-2133. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday: call first, as berries are limited. Late May/early June: strawberries. Late September: pumpkins. Montgomery Road north through Morrow to Ohio 350; turn right. Or, take Ohio 28 through Blanchester to U.S. 68; turn left.

Bet-ter Farms, 1971 Sicily Road, Mount Orab. 937-446-2593. Opens 8 a.m. Monday-Saturday; closed Sunday. Call for closing hours and picking status later in the day. Early June: strawberries. Containers provided. I-275 to Ohio 32; go east to Sicily Road past Mount Orab; turn left. Farm is a little more than 3 miles, in southwest Highland County.

Blooms & Berries, 9669 Ohio 48, Loveland. 513-697-9173. Daily. Call for hours, picking times and availability. Late May: strawberries. October: pumpkins. I-71 to Ohio 48 exit (Lebanon); south on Ohio 48, through Maineville. Farm is on the right, about 2 miles south of Maineville.

Blooms & Berries, 10900 Loveland Madeira Road, Loveland. 513-697-9173. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday, July 1-Sept. 1.

Hidden Valley Fruit Farm, 5474 N. Ohio 48, Lebanon. 513-932-1869. Call for availability and picking times. Early to mid-June: strawberries. Mid-late June: blueberries. Early July: early apples. Late June to mid-July: red raspberries. Mid-July: green beans. August: sweet corn and pears. August-September: apples and Concord, Fredonia and Niagara grapes. September-October: apples and pumpkins. I-75 to Ohio 122 exit (Middletown); east 7 miles to Ohio 48; north 2 miles to farm.

Robert Rothschild Farm, 3143 East Ohio 36, Urbana. 800-356-8933. Tours available. Call for hours and availability. Mid-August to mid-September: red raspberries. I-75 to I-675 (near Dayton); east toward Columbus; take Ohio 68 north and follow signs to Urbana, in Champaign County; at the traffic circle in town, turn right on Ohio 36. Farm is on the right, about 3 miles east of Urbana.

Rouster's Apple House, 1986 Ohio 131, Milford. 513-625-5504. Call ahead for picking times and availability. Late June to August: blueberries. Late July: thornless blackberries. Containers provided. I-275 to exit 59-A (Milford Parkway); follow parkway onto Ohio 131. Farm is 6 miles beyond intersection of Ohio 131 and U.S. 50. Blueberry plantation is on the right, 500 yards before the apple house.

Spaeth Farm, 1469 South Ohio 741, Lebanon. 513-932-2151. Call ahead for availability and picking times. Early June: strawberries Mid-July: green beans and sweet corn. I-71 to exit 25 (Kings Island); left on Ohio 741. Farm is on the left, about 5 miles north. From I-75 north, take exit 29 and turn right on Ohio 63; turn right on Ohio 741. Farm is on the right.

Strawberry Patch, 6815 Hamilton-Mason Road, West Chester Township. 513-777-3642. Call for hours and availability. Through June: strawberries. I-75 to Ohio 129; go west to Cincinnati-Dayton Road; turn left and follow to Hamilton-Mason Road; turn right. Farm is less than 1 mile on the left.

Windmill Farm Market, 1454 E. Ohio 73, Springboro. 937-885-3965. Call for availability. October: pumpkins. I-71 to Ohio 73; follow signs. Farm is on the right, 5 miles west of Waynesville and 3 miles east of Springboro.

Say ALOE to April

Although not an herb we picked ALOE to be our healing herb for April. We are getting ready for the sunburns in the garden!
Yesterday Jeanne and I went to a lecture with Rita Heikenfeld (www.abouteating.com)and Ron Wilson of Natorps. I blurted out illegal things to do to a Canadian goose nest and cruel things like salting slugs. (I believe Ron and I were the only inhumane ones there as we quite enjoyed the gasps of the women in the garden club!) Jeanne made me so proud as she hobbled along on crutches. What a trooper. Last night I threw some parsley on my salad like Rita said and it really does wake up a boring iceberg salad! The family loved it.
We are meeting at EQ 4/24 for a quickie Fr. Bistro lunch then heading to either Findlay market,a specialty chef shop, or Krohn Conservatory. Each has their value. Findlay market offers De Stewart's spice shop. Who wants to taste dried hibiscus?! Yum. Or Marie has access to a specialty shop for retail cooks! I would love to see the "forbidden" tools! Or Krohn Conservatory.... did you know there is a very knowledgeable man who is there every Thursday who walks around and tells you about the plants? He made the arid cactus room come alive w/ information on our last visit. I want to stand before the cocoa bean and hear him tell me of it's greatness! (I may tell him,actually, he was quite thin) So we haven't quite settled on our options, but how exciting to have so many!

Cardamom in March

We learned about CardaMOM and wolfbane this month. We had a soup swap. Jeanne made split pea, Kathy made "hug-yo-momma chili", Marie made roasted red pepper and I made a pumpkin-pear soup. Kathy made cardamom couscous, Marie made cardamom bread, I made cardamom walnut cookies and Jeanne brought a pumpkin maple spread. Very good food! Kathy's husband made a garden box for early,rabbit proof gardening called "salad in a box". I cannot wait to get started! In April we are meeting at Krohn Conservatory and seeing what well manicured herbs look like!

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November Meeting

We met a Kathy's house this month (Thanks Kathy!). Jeanne made a delicious Pumpkin soup with mexican cinnamon. I made cinamon sugared bacon sticks (which were great crumbled on the soup!) I was fascinated by the different smells of the cinnamons (Saigon vs. Mexican). Marie taught us how to make cinnamon (or any spice) ornaments and warned against grinding cinnamon in a spice grinder. We drank Chai tea and Kathy taught us about the health benefits of Comfrey and Calendula. I even got to take a Comfrey leaf home to play with. (I did boil it and now have those healing juices in a jar.) I have to admit I have not put it on my face as of yet. It's supposed to heal rosacia.
Next month (Jan.) we meet at an Indian restaurant in Clifton to taste Indian spices. That should heat us up during these cold winter months! See you there!