Ironweed
In late August the elderberry bushes are nearly finished fruiting, and as the dark purple berries fade a new palette emerges across the fields: purple ironweed and goldenrod, now fully in bloom. Ironweed intrigues me perhaps because, unlike goldenrod, it is a flower I didn’t grow up with, but one I first met as an adult in southern Ohio. It’s also a plant that starts as a humble florette of spear-shaped leaves at your feet in May. Then you turn around in August to find the flower head nodding d…
SWD
No, it’s not Single, White Divorcee. It’s Spotted Wing Drosophila (aka Drosophila suzukii), and it’s the enemy of berry lovers everywhere.
SWD is a fruit fly from Asia, first detected in California in 2008. 2008 doesn’t seem that long ago to me, but this little fly is no laggard.
SWD is a fruit fly from Asia, first detected in California in 2008. 2008 doesn’t seem that long ago to me, but this little fly is no laggard.
Is this Elderberry?
Elderberry has huge white, umbrella-like flowers but so do poison hemlock, Queen Anne’s lace, or pokeweed, all of which bloom at the same time. That can cause some (understandable!) hesitation if you are trying to harvest elderflowers for culinary or medicinal use. So here’s how to distinguish elderberry from these lookalikes.
Elderflower Eruption
The elderberry bushes are now flowering outrageously. What a month ago resembled small florets of broccoli have developed into 6” wide umbels of creamy white bloom. These blooms will roll out in waves over the next month or so, transforming our humble field of bushes into an ever changing floral ocean.
Violets in Spring
Just as I was starting to think about preparing the lawn mower for its first run, the yard breaks out in purple.
A thousand wild violets dot the lawn, welcoming the early bees. I set the mower deck high and shave the grass above their heads. Mowing so high means I’ll have to cut it again soon, but it’s worth it to let the flowers continue their bloom.
A thousand wild violets dot the lawn, welcoming the early bees. I set the mower deck high and shave the grass above their heads. Mowing so high means I’ll have to cut it again soon, but it’s worth it to let the flowers continue their bloom.
Spring Garlic
Spring brings some fleeting culinary pleasures such as rhubarb, asparagus, and violets. Among them we count spring garlic, which we have been enjoying these past few weeks. Their mild garlic flavor is a great accompaniment to meat or rich vegetarian entrees, or a nice addition to your morning omelet.
Rare Catbird Sighting
I’ve never been much of a bird watcher. Birds are great and all, but I never put the effort into learning them beyond the common robin or chickadee.
It’s difficult; they’re small, far away, and move quickly. So it was with some excitement that I heard an unusual birdcall the other day.
It’s difficult; they’re small, far away, and move quickly. So it was with some excitement that I heard an unusual birdcall the other day.
Growing Elderberry from Cuttings
Growing elderberries isn’t hard, but there are a lot of conflicting sources of information. Here's what we do.
A Seat at the Local Foods Table
Last month I attended the 14th Annual Buy Local Foods Seminar, and I was excited to hear from their lineup of local food producers. It’s takes extra effort to seek out local products like these rather than just buy what’s sitting on the grocery store shelf. But in return for the effort you get food you know, with a story close to home.