Fermenting Floyd: Wine Vinegar Workshop @ The JAX

Join me at the Jacksonville Center in Floyd on September 20th for a wine vinegar making workshop! 

It’s easy to save money and up the flavor when you make your own wine vinegars at home.  Don’t throw out that unused portion of wine- turn it into tasty vinegar!  Learn how to flavor vinegars with herbs, fruits, and spices.  Find out how to pasteurize vinegar and bottle it for gifting.

Sign up on the Jacksonville Center for the Arts website

See ya there!

Once in a Blue Moon

Off to market under a Blue Moon

High Summer at the Market

The produce keeps rolling in as we move into high summer.  I've noticed when making labels that I'm canning many products a month ahead of when they were canned last year.  I don't know if the produce is ripening ahead of schedule or if I'm getting to it faster than I did last year.  I know I'm offering more products because the crate set-up keeps expanding.

'Tis the Season!

The Floyd Farmers Market officially opened May 16th with a jam-packed (no pun intended) crowd in attendance.  I think this past weekend's crowd was even bigger!

I'm glad the season has finally arrived.  Fresh produce is rolling in (mmmmm....strawberries....), people hungry for fresh produce are rolling in, and I'm back to capturing those flavors for people to stash away and enjoy all year 'round.  Plus, it really is the social highlight of my week.

Quick Notes

Spring's Here!!!!  YAY!!!!

'Cuz I was getting really tired of seeing this

and this

which were the respective views from the front and back of my new home.

Now that the weather is (mostly) nice, I'm in the process of reclaiming an old, weathered, but still sturdy and dry, wooden shed that's on the property for the storage of my gardening gear.  The metal shed beside my trailer will hold household and kitchen gear and my chest freezer.  I'm kind of under the gun to get this all done because my ex has put our house on the market and I'll soon lose the storage in the garage.

I'm also waiting for the deed to my new home to be transferred into my name so work can begin on rehabbing the trailer into a more home-like structure.  Currently it looks like this

but I'm hoping to make it look more like this

front

back

My friend Phillip is coming to bush hog the field soon.  The multiflora rose has crossed the stream in places and must be tamed now.  Then I hope to be able to maintain it with my little Barbie lawn tractor.  I looked a couple of days ago along the stream and the watercress is greening up nicely and shoots of the native yellow iris are poking up. Hopefully Julius will arrive to turn the gardens for me.  They've both run wild and need to be brought back into the fold.

And the hens are laying.

 

In between all this I'm getting ready for the Floyd Farmers Market which opens May 16.  Since I'm offering more than preserves I've had a name change to Rebecca's Pantry.  I think it's more descriptive of what I'm offering to grace your tables.

Although I've had requests for classes, I need to put them on hold for a little longer.  But keep an eye out.  I've been negotiating with the Jacksonville Center to teach a class on fermentation and other techniques that don't require a stove.  The JAX doesn't have a range and would love to receive the donation of a sturdy kitchen stove (new or used) for cooking classes for their new Maker Series (hint, hint)!

So that's what's happening at the moment.  Not entirely out of limbo yet but I can see the exit ramp up ahead.